Platform Post War One Shot Contest 2017
by PlatformFanFics
Summary: Eleven authors for the Platform Post War OS challenge. Please visit our facebook page, Platform 9 3/4, for voting instructions. The only stipulations were to tie in with Post War theme, be under 7.5k words, and rated T or under. Multiple pairings and timelines. Enjoy
1. Chapter 1 - A New Life

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 1,369

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Story Title: A New Life

Rating: T

Genre: Drama

Your Fanfic AND Facebook Name: _-Undisclosed at this Time-_

Pairing: Harry Potter / Ginny Weasley

Summary: A sad day gets a joyous ending

* * *

 **A New Life**

She sat in her rocking chair staring out the window absently stroking her swollen belly, thoughts a million miles away. In her mind's eye, she could see it all again: the crumbling walls, the bodies everywhere, carrying the dead into a line in the Great Hall – _her older brother in that line_. The screams of the injured would echo through her brain at the oddest of moments. It had been six years since that day, the day a school full of students, teachers, and family stood together to stop tyranny and hate.

Ginny was brought out of her reveries by the feel of the kick in her belly, and she glanced down with a laugh. "Hi, you." She said softly, "Daddy should be home soon. Now, let's go get supper ready, shall we?"

Hefting herself out of the rocker, Ginny waddled to the kitchen, wand in hand, and started the meal she and Harry would eat when he got home. A glance at the magical clock said he was at the Ministry, which meant he was likely doing paperwork before the end of the day.

As she cooked, she let her mind wander again, back to the days before the war when everything had been semi-peaceful and happy – ' _the eye before the storm_ ' she thought. Those were the days: post-Umbridge and Sirius's death, when Harry had decided he deserved something good in his life. Ron had surprisingly only been slightly uncomfortable with the thought of his best friend and his sister together – somehow it had been easier to accept than Dean Thomas - all starting the day Gryffindor had won the last game of the season against Ravenclaw. She remembered the win vividly, the party in the common room, and Harry's kiss like it had happened yesterday, although really he still kissed her like that every day.

Ginny jumped at the knock on the door. Glancing at her clock, she knew it wasn't Harry yet. Opening the door she found her mother smiling softly at her.

"I couldn't sit home alone," she said. "Not today."

Ginny leaned in and hugged her as hard as she could, struggling to keep tears at bay. "Come in Mum." she whispered stepping back to allow her mother entrance.

"Mmmm, something smells good." Molly said, walking into the kitchen and glancing into the pot.

"Thanks." Ginny smiled. She got her mother a drink of pumpkin juice and then sat down with a glass of water in her hands.

"You seem far away," Molly observed. "Down-time from the Harpies has you retrospective huh?"

"I've definitely had more time to think lately." Ginny giggled patting her belly, which obliged with a kick. "Today has been harder though, I've been remembering."

"Me too, it's hard to believe it's been six years already." Molly said with a quick dab at her eye with a kerchief.

Normally, Ginny would have been playing quidditch with the Hollyhead Harpies, getting ready for some big match, but being _very_ pregnant definitely put a damper on that. That meant a day she'd normally keep busy through, was instead sitting alone and reminiscing, or _was_ until now.

Suddenly, the last thing Ginny wanted to be was alone. She looked at her mother and smiling said. "Let's make a real dinner. Invite everyone! It's last minute, but I doubt they'll say no today!"

With that thought, she sent out her patronus with a simple message - _Come to dinner; 6:00pm -_ and then she and her mother happily busied themselves cooking.

Arthur and Harry were the first to arrive, coming straight from work, and just like in her musing of earlier, Harry kissed her as he had that first time. He never failed to make her feel loved. He then crouched down and spoke a warm hello to her belly, feeling their child happily kick within.

"How can I help?" he asked.

"Set the table please, dear." Molly requested as she bounced around the kitchen, clearly happy to be preparing for a gathering.

Soon the house was bustling: George and Angelina, Bill and Fleur, and Percy and Audrey had arrived with their children, and Ron and Hermione arriving a little later. There were all sorts of conversations at once as everyone caught up on the latest gossip, or talked about recent happenings at work. The kids of all ages ran about the house, playing as their parents shushed their noise. Finally Molly, who had by now made Ginny sit down, called everyone to the table and all sat down to a lovely dinner together.

After dinner, Harry poured some fire whiskey for all of the adults, save Ginny, and they toasted the fallen from the wars that had brought them all here. There was much reminiscing and some tears. Ginny looked around the room at her family and was grateful for each and every one. She sat down to enjoy the company and relax, but baby had different ideas.

Suddenly, there was _a lot_ of pain and a rush of liquid between her legs. In shock, she raised her head to look at her gathered family. If it weren't for the fact that she hurt, she would have laughed at the varying looks of surprise scattered among them. Harry's was the most comical as he stood with his mouth in an _OH,_ and his eyes as big as saucers.

This was definitely not how she'd planned the evening to go, but she'd learned a long time ago that somethings you just had to roll with. Once the pain subsided, she turned to everyone and said, "So, it looks like we have an entirely _different_ reason to celebrate tonight. Who's ready to have a baby?" At her words, there was a rush of movement as fathers gathered up children, saying goodnight, and left.

Harry was soon the only male in the building. The ladies ushered Ginny to the bedroom and there was a constant flurry of activity in and out of the room as they gathered things to make her more comfortable. There were blankets and herbs, potions brewing; it was quite the sight to be seen. It felt like forever that Harry paced outside that room, waiting for news, waiting to see his beautiful wife, wondering why he wasn't allowed in the room too – although really, with that many women in there, where would he fit? Time seemed to crawl, like someone had performed a time-slowing spell. He hadn't felt time move _this_ slow since sixth year, when Snape had assigned him the punishment card sorting detention.

At last, there was a baby cry from the bedroom, and he was allowed inside to meet his new baby son. Pride like nothing he'd ever felt before filled his chest and he came over to sit beside his tired, but joyous wife. Smiling up at him, she said weakly.

"Meet James."

She lifted a bundle of blankets toward him as he took his son into his arms. Amazement shone brightly on his face as he looked down at James, then Ginny.

"Really?" He asked in awe.

"Yes of course," she whispered back, "your Dad's name sake."

He'd never loved this woman more than he did right in that moment. Holding his son in his arms, stroking his wife's hair as she rested; this was the happiness Harry had sought his whole life.


	2. Chapter 2 - An Extension of Your Parents

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 6,274

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Story Title: An Extension of Your Parents

Rating: K+

Genre: Drama, Mystery

Your Fanfic AND Facebook Name: _-Undisclosed at this Time-_

Pairing: none

Summary: Kedrick is about to embark on his next chapter of his youth: Going to Hogwarts. He was often told he was a spitting image of his father with the stern and loving heart of his mother. Will he be able to follow in his parent's footsteps? Who are these parents of his?

* * *

 **An Extension of Your Parents**

The rain hammered heavily against the large window panes of the manor library, causing ripples of obscured images between water streams down the glass to the gardens outside. Kedrick sat at the desk reading _Hogwarts, A History_ while holding a crinkled parchment in his hand. Beside him, the fire was roaring under a large marble fireplace but the room felt cold, and he fought back the snarl of resentment as his eyes focused on a portrait of his parents.

"There you are. You ran off so fast after Driscoll stopped by with a certain letter bearing a _familiar_ seal," his mother's tone was as it always was: stern but not harsh, and holding little emotion as she emerged through the dark mahogany door. Kedrick tried to smile in response, gripping the letter in his hand all the tighter. His mother's owl, Driscoll, did in fact deliver him a letter; one that bore a wax seal his mother knew well. Kedrick anticipated it would arrive any day, and when the fat, brown bird of prey finally showed up, he had to fight the tawny owl to release it.

"That bloody bird hates me, Mother," he scoffed, pulling his eyes to the letter in his hand. His mother smiled, drawing his gaze back to her as she walked over to him.

"Language, Kedrick. I did not raise you to speak crossly." Kedrick narrowed his eyes. What she meant was she didn't raise him to speak like his _father_. Not that he knew much in terms of his paternal superior, as his mother rarely spoke of him. He had chosen not to stick around after Kedrick was born, so Kedrick _didn't bother_ pressing his mother with questions regarding him.

His piercing blue eyes met his mother's dark ones, and her features softened in a way he had rarely seen in her expression. Reaching for him, she pulled her eleven-year old son into her arms, squeezing albeit too tightly, causing Kedrick to wince.

"Mother!" he managed to say as he felt her let out a soft sigh, then vibrate with light laughter against him. "I'm never going to make it to Hogwarts if you don't. Let. _Go_."

Reluctantly, she pulled back, biting the inside of her mouth as though she was already preparing herself to say goodbye. Kedrick was drawn to the expression on her face: her nose crinkled to hold back the tears that threatened to burn her eyes, her lips pulled tightly in a thin line, and her brows arched back. She halted the subtle quiver of her chin, and he was mesmerized. His mother was the strongest woman he'd ever known, even now as she swallowed back whatever it was her heart was telling her, he found he had the utmost respect for all she has given and taught him.

"We will go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to gather your supplies," she spoke in a dulcet tone that didn't fit her demeanor, and Kedrick found himself frowning back at her.

"I don't _have_ to go you know," he said begrudgingly, eyes focused down in a glare as he scuffed his boot across the marble floor. He wanted nothing more than to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but seeing his mother in this rare vulnerable state drew his thoughts to that of guilt for leaving her alone. He always swore he would be there for his mother the way she was for him, unlike the man who left them _both_ alone all those years ago. He wouldn't make the same mistakes his father had, especially when it came to his mother. They were a team, always had been, and the mere possibility he could send her back to the day she was abandoned those years ago, pulled at him.

Expectantly, his mother's eyes swirled, and her face went completely unreadable. She was good at that, hiding her emotions. There were only a few moments where Kedrick could count where he knew exactly what his mother was thinking. This was obviously _not_ one of those moments. He had thought her disheartened at the idea of him going off to school and leaving her behind, but seeing her countenance now, he wasn't too certain that was the case at all.

"Nonsense. We'll head out tomorrow afternoon," she paused only briefly, folding her one arm across her chest as she brought the other to her lips in thought, "Your robes should be first, then your books I think."

Kedrick rolled his eyes. He wasn't particularly fond of Diagon Alley or the amount of people who regularly occupied its streets. He preferred his own company, and rarely ventured off the manor grounds; choosing instead to occupy his time fiddling with potions in the like.

He was born a natural, he discovered, configuring ingredients and calculating measurements in terms of herbs and magical substances with complete accuracy. In a rare moment where his mother opened up about his father, she let it slip that he too excelled in potions, receiving an outstanding in his N.E.W.T. level course in school. Kedrick held onto that tidbit of his father's life, imagining what his skill level would be today had his father stuck around to teach him his ways and knowledge in the subject.

It was a _foolish_ notion; a childish one. One that showed a weakness not worth exposing to others, so he often pushed it deep to the back of his mind.

His mother sighed impatiently, knocking Kedrick from his musings and bringing his attention back to her round features.

"Of course, Mother," he said matter of factly. It was a response he knew she would want to hear, and she seemed to accept it. Walking to the door, she turned to him again.

"Until tomorrow then?" She asked him with a tinge of something Kedrick couldn't quite place. He narrowed his eyes in thought, and nodded as she exited the library. The sound of the rain filled his ears once more as he propped his head lazily against the palm of his hand, and continued his reading on the school he would come to call his second home for the next seven years; a small smile creeped over his lips.

x*X*x

The rain had stopped that following afternoon, but the clouds had painted a blanket of gray across the sky. He watched aimlessly as a few persistent rays of sun attempted to pierce through its thick masses. Kedrick shrugged as they entered Diagon Alley, and somberly followed suit behind his mother, who was walking with a purpose towards _Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions._

"All these familiar faces!" cried Madam Malkin upon Kedrick and his mother entering her quaint little shop. It was already full of young witches and wizards, aiming to be fitted for their own journey to Hogwarts. "He looks just like his father," Madam Malkin continued in a beaming voice. Kedrick scoffed as his mother sighed.

"I look _nothing_ like my father," he countered, flexing his jaw and folding both hands across his chest. He could feel the heat of his mother's glare behind him, and he grudgingly relaxed his shoulders in an annoyed and defeated shrug.

"Sorry about that, Madam Malkin. I'm not sure where Kedrick placed his manners today."

Madam Malkin peered at him, her pudgy expression morphing to that of what Kedrick could only describe as pity. Kedrick could feel his mouth curl into a silent snarl under her scrutiny, but he stepped up to be fitted, exasperatingly aware of the exchange between the old squat witch and his mother behind him, as he glared at their reflections in the mirror through hooded eyes.

He felt vulnerable standing there with his arms out to his sides as the measuring tape magically worked itself about him. Madam Malkin had called over to him occasionally to remind him of his posture, prompting him to keep his back straight and his chin up. Kedrick scoffed more than once, awkwardly towering over the other two boys who stood getting their own measurements.

Kedrick was tall and lithe, with dark brown hair and eyes so blue they could pierce even the hardest of gazes. He understood why Madam Malkin claimed he looked like his father, but didn't want to admit it to himself. It was why he avoided peering at his reflection as he stood there impatiently, and was relieved when the old shopkeeper called him over to wrap up his purchase.

His mother had left to gather his books in _Flourish and Blotts_ , and had requested he meet her there once he was finished with his measurements. Kedrick, however, had other plans and used this opportunity to flee to one of the only places in Diagon Alley he felt comfortable in. He heeded to the _Apothecary_ , striding swiftly and dodging between the busy families in cloaks and hands full of school supplies. _Bob and weave_ he told himself as he made his way to the familiar shop. He paused briefly, peering inside _Flourish and Blotts_ as he passed before tugging his collar to further hide his face in his coat and continued to his destination.

The chiming of the bell above the door lingered over the humming sounds of private conversations with patrons he cared little to acknowledge, and he'd grown accustomed to the foul smells that lingered in the stagnant air of the _Apothecary_.

"Ah, Kedrick my boy!" said a dry, scratchy voice to his side.

Kedrick turned to see Old Asaph, the shopkeeper, and responded with a genuine smile, walking to the counter in a casual stride.

"Mr. Asaph. Got in anything new?" Kedrick's eyes were wide and hopeful as the old man gave a grin.

"Your passion for potions challenges my own, I dare say," he said with a heaving laugh. "You're in luck. I got some skullcap roots in shipment just last evening." The old wizard quirked a brow as he studied Kedrick's stern expression, his brain visibly working through an endless list of potion possibilities. "You're already thinking of new concoctions for the roots? I can see it all over your face, boy," Asaph laughed, and Kedrick smirked a grin not dissimilar from another boy he once knew.

"I'll take a bundle of roots, sir. I'd love to stay and hear your advice on how to incorporate them, but I better get going before-"

" _Kedrick_!"

The sudden volume from his mother's voice brought the whole shop to its knees, quickly hushing all conversations, and bringing everyone's attention to her. _And him._ Asaph gave a comforting grin to the angry witch in his doorframe, and handed the roots to Kedrick, never once breaking eye contact with her. His mother's eyes flashed with irritation as her son sombered over to her.

"I had to make a pit stop. I-"

"A pit stop would have been on the way. You walked right _passed_ Flourish and Blotts." Kedrick lowered his head. When his mother got like this, there was no arguing with her. She was downright scary. Her demeanor was nothing short of frightening: chin raised, hands on her hips, and a look that could cower even the bravest of wizards.

"I'm sorry, Mother," was all Kedrick could muster under her powerful scrutiny.

At his words, the witch loosened her shoulders and dropped her hands to her sides. Her expression quickly softened as she shrugged. He could tell there was something weighing on her mind, something that wasn't entirely his disregarding her orders to meet her elsewhere. Eyebrows raised, he longed for the knowledge of legilimency so he could better understand his mother's change in behavior, but even then he knew she would be challenging to read. _To understand._

"It's alright," she sighed. "I know how much you enjoy coming here. At least it's someplace where you can converse with actual people," she gestured him to the door, turning to Asaph. "Thank you, Asaph. I apologize for the outburst."

The old man leaned against the counter and folded his arms loosely over his chest. "Not a problem at all. I know how _you_ feel about coming here."

Kedrick peered over his shoulder as Asaph spoke, witnessing his mother frown, her features dropping. But like clockwork, her expression turned to that of no expression at all, and if he had blinked, he would have missed it altogether. She nodded as she exited the shop behind her son.

"Don't you want to get your _own_ wand, Kedrick?" he heard his mother ask his back. Turning, Kedrick's eyes flashed with excitement and anticipation.

"Do you really have to ask? I'm tired of borrowing yours for potion incantations," he said with a stern face.

His mother quirked a brow and couldn't suppress a smirk. " _Borrow_ , he says." Her laughter a refreshing change from her former demeanor.

He returns her chortles, and grabs her hand, tugging her towards _Ollivander's_ anxiously. The weight of her lightened as she follows his steps to the door. He paused in its frame, taking a deep breath before opening the door to the narrow and cluttered shop.

The aroma of dust tickled his nose as he observed the shelves stacked with tiny boxes to the ceiling. He swiveled on his heels, hugging his mother around the waist. Surprised at the sudden contact, she made a sound not dissimilar to an _oh!_ and wrapped her arms around him in response. The utterance of a throat clearing sounded behind him as Kedrick pulled from his mother, and peered up at an elderly man with thick, graying hair.

"I've been expecting you, Kedrick. Your mother, here, has stopped by a few times this week already," the older wizard said, touching his index finger to his nose.

Blushing, Kedrick's mother gave a sincere smile, her lips curling into a tight curved line. She nudged her head at Kedrick, encouraging him to step forward. He did as she bade, his palms sweaty from the anticipation of finally owning a wand of his very own.

The man, known to all by Garrick Ollivander, turned from his merchants to study the shelves. Silently, with an occasional _"ahh"_ from his lips, he pulled and tugged various wands from their places, leaving a hole in the stack, and placed them on the desk between him and Kedrick. The boy eyed them anxiously, licking his lips over his options.

"Alright, Kedrick, give one a whirl." Ollivander's emphasis on his syllables made Kedrick chortle to himself as he picked up the first wand. A faint hum stung at his hand, and he flicked the wand to the right. The shelves shook vigorously, but nothing happened. Kedrick frowned.

"Not the core but the wood," he says shaking his finger pointedly in the air, "The unicorn hair works very well indeed, young Kedrick, but the hawthorn is not right." He pressed his palms against a ladder, leaning his body forward with squinted eyes. "Yes, cedar I think would do swimmingly," he scooped the box from the shelf, sliding the other wands out of the way with his arm as he places the long narrow box on the table before Kedrick. "Well, _go on_."

Kedrick wraps his fingers around the smooth handle of the cedar wand, and instantly feels his hand magnetically thrum against it. Eyes wide, he flicks his wrist, sending the dismissed wands back to their wonted places on the shelves. Kedrick felt his lips pull into a large and satisfied grin.

x*X*x

The remaining days were spent preparing Kedrick for his journey to Hogwarts. He had read _Hogwarts, A History_ many times over, learning about the different houses and the layouts of the castle. He was intrigued to see it all in person, and the guilt of leaving his mother behind diminished with each passing hour.

In addition to the experience of furthering his magical education, he found his thoughts lingering to that of his parents' youth. They had met in the halls of Hogwarts, and were happy in their innocence before a war that allegedly brought them together. What he couldn't figure out was why it broke them apart again. Countless possibilities ran through his mind, questioning why his father would leave his mother after all they had supposedly been through, but the results ended the same: with disdain and negative feelings towards the man known as his father. No thought, be it simple or complex, could excuse the fact he unambiguously chose _not_ to stay with the woman he _claimed_ to love, or the son he helped bring into this world. Kedrick's face scrunched in disgust.

Struggling to fall asleep, Kedrick pulled back the covers of his black wrought iron bed, and flattened his feet sternly on the floor in exasperation. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the room, and he scanned its length in full, taking in the final night in this space for months before he would return for winter holiday.

Muffled cries could be heard from the opposite end of Kedrick's door, and his eyes shifted to the stream of light flickering outside the frame. He sighed, shoving his weight onto his feet and sombered to the door, turning the brass handle slowly. The stifles seized as he emerged, finding his mother standing in the dark of the hall with a _lumos_ on her wand. Her eyes glistened, reflecting off the white light at the wand's tip, and she straightened her shoulders.

"Kedrick. You should be sleeping. You have a big day tomorrow," her voice wavered, and Kedrick once again witnessed a look in his mother that was unfamiliar to him before his letter arrived. He narrowed his eyes in contemplation. It was as though the letter itself restored memories his mother had soon better forgotten.

"It's hard to sleep with you crying outside my door, mother," his tone was slightly colder than intended. His mother responded as he thought she would: face turning to stone and her posture pristine.

"Fair enough, son. Come. Let's you to bed," she stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder to swivel him around and back towards his bedroom. Kedrick settled himself onto the plush mattress, his mother helping him with his covers as she leans forward, placing a peck on his forehead. "Good night, Kedrick."

x*X*x

The house elves were bustling before the morning light, preparing a breakfast feast for their young master's big day. Kedrick woke with a start, throwing on his slacks and white oxford shirt in a rush as he darted down the stairs. He was near the bottom when he finally secured the last button on his shirt.

He rushed through the dining hall where his mother was sipping her morning tea. The aroma of gravy and eggs invaded his nose and he licked his lips as he plopped heavily down at the table. Across the surface, cluttered with platters and bowls alike, his mother raised a brow before continuing her sip, then placed her porcelain cup neatly in front of her.

"Best hurry, Kedrick, _You_ overslept. Eat up so we can be on our way."

Kedrick, who had already started grabbing at the sausages, acknowledged her with a nod. He was halfway through this meal before looking up at her again. Aside from the occasional sound of a fork sliding across the plate, breakfast was expectantly quiet. The routine, with the exception of the heighten of his nerves, was the same, and he welcomed the familiarity of it all, knowing in his mind he would come to miss these moments with his mother.

His plate was removed by his house elf the instant his final bite was finished, and the morning's focus turned to prepare the floo. His mother was waiting for him in the den, pointing and rechecking in her head to confirm they had all he needed as he approached, wand in hand.

"Be sure to keep that close to you, Kedrick. The wand is an extension of you now, and you need to be responsible." Kedrick knew his mother was keeping her mind at ease with simple advice to avoid the idea of him leaving her for months, and he found himself conflicted in his own head: his excitement battled the guilt of it all.

"Kedrick you mustn't look so glum. I had prepared for this day for years." He met his mother's dark round eyes, taken back by her comment. It was as if she could read his mind. She gestured to him, taking his hand and sitting on a green velvet settee positioned across the fireplace.

She plucked a small phial from the stand and it hung from her hand on a chain. Kedrick eyed it suspiciously as she placed the phial in his palm.

"It's a love potion," his mother said albeit too coolly. Kedrick winced and threw the phial down on the cushion as if the contents burned his skin.

The elder witch breathed a laugh, tugging her mouth into a smirk as she picked up the glass container. "The effects have long since expired, Kedrick."

Her features dropped as she studied the phial in her hand. "You said you wanted to know more about your father, yes?"

Kedrick's eyes went wide. The image of his mother giving his father a love potion made sense. It would explain why he would leave her in the end at least.

"You you poisoned father with a love potion?" Kedrick's tone grew dark and held a tinge of anger. His mother however, always the cunning, smiled at him again.

"No my dear boy. I did _not_ give your father a love potion. You will note the seal is untouched." She gestured with her hand and Kedrick relaxed. "It was rumored I did, however." She paused, her eyes trailing to the opposing wall of the den as her memories took her back to her youth. "There was a dance you see, and your father wasn't particularly pleased to have me as his date. A schoolmate of ours _thought_ she was being "helpful" by offering this to me, but I never used it."

Kedrick scrunched his face, unsure of why his mother chose to tell him _this_ particular story, especially when there were so many others she could have chosen to say. He eyed her through squinted lids, and took the phial from her hands. His mother let out a laugh at her son's silence.

"The point of this, Kedrick, is to never under or overestimate someone. You may never truly know their true intentions unless you take note of the smaller details." She wrapped an arm around him. "I know you prefer your own company, but don't dismiss the important opportunity of another's amity."

Kedrick contemplated her words as she pulled them both to stand. He followed her to the fireplace, grabbing hold of his luggage and entwined his fingers to hers. Looking up, they shared a smile as the green flames engulfed them.

x*X*x

The platform was abuzz: students of all ages beamed as they said goodbye to their parents and younger siblings, luggage of all sizes stacked at their sides. Owls occupied the space above their heads, and Kedrick almost regretted not getting one of his own. He peered ahead at the large red engine, steaming and humming, as it prepared to embark them on their journey.

Behind him, he felt his mother's arm on his shoulder, guiding him along towards the train; her grip tightening with each step closer to their inescapable farewell. He glanced back at her and with the calm expression upon her face, he assumed she hid her mien to shade any weakness; it was just their way, and he unknowingly did the same.

A flash of red shot by his peripheral, and his gaze followed the bouncy curls with his eyes. The girl stopped abruptly, embracing what he could only assume to be her family, as they shared the likeness in features: fiery red hair and freckles. They appeared simple, but he found himself snarling silently at the tug of envy from seeing the large family together.

He turned fully to his mother then, dropping his luggage and wrapping his arms around her tightly, burying his head into her bosom. Shocked, the older witch stiffened momentarily with her arms wide, before returning the gesture completely.

"Kedrick?" he heard his mother say calmly. "Come now, love." She shifted, pulling his chin with her hand gently to guide his face to look up at her.

"Will you be alright?" he asked without a thought. "On your own?"

He felt her laugh against him as she smirked. "Kedrick, I assure you. I will be fine. Now, mind your manners whilst on the train and in school. I anticipate to know your house!"

Kedrick blinked, excited to know he could potentially continue both of his parents' legacy by following along in their great house. Flashing a smile familiar to her memories, Kedrick picked up his luggage and confidently strided towards the train. He peered back one last time to see his mother smiling, standing alone as she watched his back. She gave a wave as he turned and boarded the train.

He had been dreading this moment for weeks, worrying himself on how his mother would react to him leaving, and was relieved to see she appeared to be alright. _Appeared_. He tried not to mull over how she may have truly felt, choosing to hide behind her perfectly positioned mask she came to wear so well long before his eleven years came into existence.

The train's compartments were already filling up with students of all ages, and he found himself swallowing back the anxiousness as he slid open another door. Five sets of eyes narrowly glared at him, and he shrugged, tugging the door closed to another filled compartment. Sighing, he tried his luck one last time, in a cabin to the far back of the train, and was relieved to see it unclaimed. He stumbled in, tripping over his luggage as he struggled to set it above the seat.

Sitting down, he gazed aimlessly out the window, the edge of the platform visible from his view. His mother, he noticed, was not in his range of sight, and he shrugged. His mind battled three emotions at once - guilt, anticipation, and anxiety - as he slouched in his seat. He wallowed in the isolation for a moment, shrugging off as much as his mind would allow when he felt the jolt of the engine in play. The whistle blew, and though it was a fair distance from his cabin, it loudly echoed off the walls of the platform; steam danced past his window, fogging his view as it slowly moved along its concrete length. As the last car gained speed and approached the edge of the opposing side of the station, he caught a glimpse of his mother, standing towards the back with a handkerchief in her hand. She was gone a moment later, replaced with receding traces of London, and closing a chapter of his life behind.

The door to his cabin slid loudly to the side, jouncing Kedrick from his musings. His eyes shifted narrowly to the open compartment door, and a pair of soft brown eyes peered back at him.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" the brown-eyed girl asked, flipping her bouncy red curls from her face. "It was pretty crowded in my last cabin."

Kedrick recognized her from the station. She was the same girl that caught his eye has she ran past him to say her farewells to her family. He blinked in contemplation, and shrugged in response.

"Thanks!" she called, pulling her rather large luggage bag behind her. She leaned over her case and slid the door closed again before turning, eying the baggage storage shelf with a bit lip. Kedrick sighed, standing up in silence as he tugged her bag and hoisted it overhead, securing it in place.

He could feel the girl's eyes on his back, and he became uneasy, turning to face her as he made his best attempt to measure up under her scrutiny. She smiled then, stretching her arm straight, holding out her hand.

"I'm Molly. Molly Weasley."

"Kedrick," he replied simply, ignoring her hand and taking back his seat. He tugged a small, pouch-sized book from his shirt pocket and his wand, crinkling his brow in concentration as he cleared his throat. " _Engorgio,"_ he said waving his cedar wand nervously in a circular motion. The book, much to his relief, swelled to its normal size and he placed his wand back in its holder.

Molly's eyes grew wide. "That's a second year spell, that is!" She rushed to his side and sat down, leaning forward and examining the book in his hand as if waiting for his spell to backfire. "You must be pretty good with a wand!"

Kedrick rolled his eyes, unamused at the girl's enthusiasm, and scooted closer to the window.

"To be honest, I got lucky. I've been practicing since I obtained my wand two weeks ago," he said in a bored tone, flipping the pages open to his bookmark. He slouched in his seat again, pulling the book closer to his chest as he began to read. Molly sat, eyes locked on his person for a time, before she reached forward, pushing the cover into Kedrick to get a clearer view of the text.

" _Magical Drafts and Potions_?" she shouted, brows raised. "You're reading your textbooks _before_ you have to?"

For the second time, Kedrick found his eyes rolling on their own accord. He was beginning to regret letting this witch into his compartment. With a shrug, he lowered his book and glowered at her in exasperation.

"I don't see why this is so off putting for you," he paused, looking her up and down, "Weasley, was it?"

Molly relaxed her back against the cushion of the seat and smiled. "Yes! Molly Weasley. After my grandmother!"

A wave of silence washed over the cabin, and Kedrick was glad to hear a knock on the door to slice through the awkwardness between them. An elderly woman appeared after gently sliding the door to the side. She was a short witch, only inches taller than Kedrick, and had graying hair peppered with remnants of her younger days. Her smile was genuine and wide, and she cocked her head to the side patiently.

"Something from the trolley young dears?"

"Oh!" Molly cried excitedly, jumping from her seat and pushing herself forward using Kedrick's shoulder as a prop. He grunted at the impact, and glared after her. "My uncle collects chocolate frogs! Can I get two of those?" The elder witch beamed behind the trolley, and made the exchange with Molly. Her eyes pulled to Kedrick next expectantly.

"No, thank you, ma'am." He resettled in his seat and began reading again. He heard Molly say goodbye to the elderly woman, then the sound of the door sliding closed once more. The cushion shifted when she sat down, a chocolate frog appeared in front of his pages.

"I can't eat both of these. My father says too many sweets can be damaging." Kedrick peered up at her in puzzlement. Molly was sitting, legs crossed in front of her with her hand outstretched to him, her other holding a chocolate frog against her chest. She was smiling widely, and Kedrick found it to be infectious. Slowly, he accepted the candy and opened the box.

"Oh! I got Aunt Hermione again!" Molly raised the card to him proudly. Kedrick was never one for sweets, but eyed the chocolate card in front of him and Molly snatches it quickly from his grasp. "Hesper Starkey! Ha, funny you should get someone associated with potions, seeing how you enjoy reading about them before class." Her tone was playful, but Kedrick scoffed, quickly disregarding the witch and her joyous banter and turned to gaze out the window onto the countryside. Much to his relief, the remaining train ride was uneventful as Molly eventually fell asleep beside him with her head on his shoulder.

As the scenery evolved to a less open countryside, Kedrick shifted to stand, careful not to wake the sleeping ginger girl. While on his feet, he pulled his robes on and tugged his wand into the long slender pocket, smoothing any folds on the fabric away with his hands. Abruptly, the cabin door swung open, jolting Molly from her sleep. A squeal escaped her lips as she rolled off onto the floor.

"Molly!" Said the intruder, picking her up off the floor. He was already displaying his robes: lined in yellow with a pin on his chest displaying the letter "P". "I didn't mean to startle you! Don't tell Victoire. She'll have my hide," he breathed a laugh when the young witch beamed up at him.

"Thanks, Teddy! And don't worry. Your secret's safe with me!" She gave him a wink.

The prefect, now known to Kedrick as Teddy, rubbed the top of the girl's hair, mucking up her already wild curls from sleeping. His eyes trailed to Kedrick.

"Who's your friend, Molly?" He almost growled beneath his smile, and Kedrick backed up slightly against the window.

"Oh that's just Kedrick. He likes potions. Are we close to Hogwarts?" Molly's eyes were wide, her happiness swimming evidently in their depths.

"Yes, little bird, that's why I'm here; making sure all you firsties are robed and ready for the boats!" His eyes scanned Kedrick again. "I see you're already prepared! Molly, you best change as well."

And with that, he was on to the next cabin. Molly scurried to get her robe on, her hair still astray, and fastened her robes. They were a bit rumpled from being crammed into her luggage, but the glow about her countenance made it clear she was uncaring of such formalities.

The train came to a stop, and the students began filing out of their compartments and into lines on the platform of Hogsmeade Station. A rather large man stood, shifting almost uncomfortably, for the remaining first year students to follow him where small boats were waiting to be boarded. Kedrick stood awestruck at the sight of the castle in the distance, and clambered into a nearby boat. To his surprised relief, Molly scooted next to him, and he smirked at the familiar face.

The ride to the castle was rocky, the boat creaked and rocked at every passing wave, and Molly gripped her hand into his when something shifted ripples across the water's surface. He met her eyes, swirling with excitement and fear, and he gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

x*X*x

Kedrick, along with the rest of the first year students, were led into the Great Hall of the school. Wide-eyed, he admired the intricate ceiling: painted with twinkling stars and faded clouds glided lazily across the top of the room. Floating candles flickered overhead as his focus shifted to the front of the room. Ignoring the lingering eyes from the older students, they came to a halt short of a podium lined in the back with a long table holding what Kedrick assumed were the professors of the school. A woman in a green velvet robe stood in front of them, her face stern and in control. Beside her, a stool and a crinkled old hat sat on display. Kedrick's mother had told him about the sorting hat ceremony, and he was glad his imagination didn't disappoint him.

"Evening students," the elder witch began. There was a twinkle in her eye as she went over the events that were unfolding, explaining she would be calling each of them in front of her alphabetically to be sorted. Kedrick gulped, worried he would be given a house unfamiliar to his parents' own, and shifted uncomfortably for his turn to be called.

"Anders, Torrance." The old woman, who he came to know as Headmistress McGonagall, announced. The boy strided up to the stool and sat down. The hall fell silent as everyone anticipated which house would be called.

"Gryffindor!" The hat bellowed out, and the table holding red and gold trimmed robes cheered loudly, clapping as the boy jumped down to join his new house. Kedrick's hands grew clammy, and he eyed the Headmistress eagerly, knowing his name would be called shortly after. The headmistress continued to call through names until finally...

"Bulstrode-Nott, Kedrick."

Kedrick swallowed hard as he stepped towards to podium. Molly gave him a wink as he passed, and he grew uncomfortable under everyone's attention. There were whispers among the crowd as he sat slowly on the stool, but a hush came over the hall as the hat was placed on his head. Kedrick could feel the picking and tickling at his thoughts as the sorting hat rummaged through his mind.

"Ahh you have a cunning mind young Kedrick. And your cautious intellect is extraordinary indeed! Yes, yes. It's very clear to me where to put you. You will thrive under the house of..."

The hat wailed, echoing off the walls as Kedrick's lips curled into a smirk.

"Slytherin!"


	3. Chapter 3 - Exordium

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 2,371

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Story Title: Exordium

Rating: G

Genre: Friendship

Your Fanfic AND Facebook Name: _-Undisclosed at this Time-_

Pairing: Dramione

Summary: After the battle, Hermione leads the cleanup at Hogwarts with help from a newly-learned spell.

* * *

 **Exordium**

Hermione looked around the Great Hall. It was mid-morning, and the partially broken, cracked enchanted ceiling above was starting to show signs of brilliant sunshine. It would be a beautiful day.

Her muscles were beginning to stiffen from just sitting there in the silence. Many others in the room had finally fallen asleep where they lay, wrapped around their loved ones and unwilling to leave them, though dawn had broken as the battle of Hogwarts ended and the comfortable dormitories had waited, mostly empty.

Despite the growing brightness of the sky, there was little sign of movement. Ron, next to her with his arm around his sleeping sister Ginny, barely moved when Hermione got up and disengaged her hand from his. Unlike them, she simply couldn't rest. There was too much to think about. Too much to do, in the wake of the death of Voldemort. Surely, she could at least be helpful.

She got up, brushing some of the debris off her robes. Her movements seemed loud in the stillness as she stepped away from the Weasley family.

One other person was awake in the Hall, she noted. Draco Malfoy. His parents were slumped at the Slytherin table, fast asleep, looking less put-together than she had ever seen them. He stared at her, but for once the look in his eyes was not disdainful or tortured, as it had been for so many of their Hogwarts years. There was a gentleness to them she had never seen before.

She stopped, stared back. The events of the night were bound to spur many changes not just in the wizarding world, but in individuals like him, too, she thought.

Then she moved on. There was a lot of work to do. So much damage. She took out her wand, and began quietly moving furniture back into place, cleaning up stones that had fallen, sweeping glass up, righting pictures and decorations. She did her best to ignore the covered bodies of her friends and fifty others, laid respectfully in one intact corner of the room.

"Reparo," she whispered, repeating it when needed. The spell wasn't working as well as she wished non-verbally. Perhaps some of the magical damage was too great for such a basic spell.

A moment later, to her surprise, Draco joined her. He nodded at her, and she smiled encouragingly. Mostly in silence, Hermione and Draco worked together with a kind of unexpected harmony.

The two of them had made a decent start on the mess by the time the sun had reached its zenith. Others started to rise and join them, and the hall rustled with wakening people. Harry came down from the dormitories, looking somewhat refreshed, though with eyes dark and sad. More people made the work bearable. Even Draco's parents took their wands out and assisted, though they barely spoke to anyone except when spoken to.

Hermione took charge, ordering the others to go elsewhere in the castle and on the grounds to make repairs, and locating some house-elves who were delighted to start cooking a steaming hot brunch for everyone who remained. The kitchens had fortunately been mostly untouched by the carnage. There was plenty of food to go around, and the house elves were determined to make a good showing despite mourning some of their own.

"Ron, you and Ginny take a crew up to the headmaster's quarters and see if you can put that room to rights. Nearly Headless Nick, could you go do a turn around the castle and see if there's any damage we missed? Luna, go up to the library and see if Madame Pince needs any help - oh wait, Hagrid - we'll need you and Grawp to lift that stone debris in the corner. Do you happen to have your pink umbrella? Professor Trelawney - er, maybe you could locate your crystal balls and get them back upstairs," Hermione ordered. She was so keyed up, she'd barely eaten anything.

For once, no one complained of her bossiness. They knew she was the best person for the job. And there was a lot to be done.

Not long after, Minerva McGonagall came downstairs from her quarters, looking neater and more alert than anyone else in the Hall. Examining some of the damage to the railings, she motioned Hermione over.

"Hermione, there's a spell. I think it will help." She waved her wand with a peculiar motion and said, " _Exordium!_ "

The railing repaired itself neatly - it looked as if had never been broken. "It's a renewal spell," she told her former student. "A more advanced spell than 'Reparo.'. N.E.W.T. level - you would have learned it in your final year, if had been a normal year. It doesn't just fix things - it regenerates them, to an extent. Makes them even stronger than before, as if they were living beings growing and thriving. Seems appropriate here."

She went through it a few times with Hermione, who caught on quickly as always. She raced off to teach it to the others, leaving McGonagall at the Gryffindor table to take on certain responsibilities relating to the school. She could see that Professor McGonagall was starting to write furiously with a large quill on parchment and calling for owls. She was sending messages off at an astounding rate.

Most of the members of the DA stayed to help, although some parents who hadn't been at the battle started showing up after the meal in a panic to take their children home. Most students refused, point-blank, to leave the premises. Until after.

It went without saying that exams would be cancelled that year.

Hermione gathered the DA together and taught them the renewal spell. It took a bit of time, but was worth it when she left them all using " _Exordium!_ " in different parts of the castle, fixing bits of the drafty old building at a quicker pace than she had thought possible.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had taken the responsibility for their dead friends without fuss, which relieved Hermione greatly. They took her aside and all agreed to a memorial service on the lake at twilight, after which the bodies would be returned to their families for burial.

Around mid-day, Hermione took another break. She sat at the Gryffindor table, now in an almost completely intact Great Hall. Though the work had energized her, she was starting to feel an achy tiredness that she knew wouldn't go away until she had slept.

Draco Malfoy sat down beside her with a plate of steaming meat pies, straight from the kitchens. "Hungry?"

She nodded. "I think all this is finally catching up to me," she admitted, taking a pie, biting into it and nearly fainting at the hearty and comforting aroma. "I could use a giant nap." To punctuate this, she yawned. "Sorry," she said.

He grinned, and Hermione was surprised to find it appealing. He seemed to have a bit of trouble saying his next words. "I just wanted to say - thanks," he said. "I know you and Harry and Ron saved Goyle and me during the course of the battle. After all that's happened - I know we may never be friends, but - I won't forget." He left quickly, as if embarrassed.

Hermione looked after him, bemused. Who would have thought it, she said to herself. Draco Malfoy, showing actual human emotions?

McGonagall swept by at that point. Seeing Hermione's weariness, she ordered her to go up to the girls' dormitories and sleep.

"You've done enough," she said, kindly. "We can take it from here, Hermione. I will have someone wake you in time for the twilight service." She motioned to Parvati Patil, whose parents had come to get her and her twin sister earlier that day, but who had refused to leave until the service that evening. "Parvati, take Hermione up to Gryffindor tower and make sure she gets some rest."

Parvati smiled tiredly at Hermione, still looking dusty and unkempt…but alive. Alive felt good.

That evening, as the sun was setting, a somber service was held by the shores of the lake. To Hermione's surprise - although she wasn't sure why she was surprised, after thinking about it - wizards and witches had continued to arrive at Hogwarts all afternoon. Following the parents, Hogsmeade residents who had heard some, but not all of what had gone on the night before, came trying to get news. Some Ministry of Magic employees had tentatively shown up to get the real story. Eventually, McGonagall had opened the doors, just this one time, to everyone who wished to mourn the dead of the Battle of Hogwarts.

Kingsley Shacklebolt presided, his deep and rich voice magically amplified so that everyone could hear him. Hermione looked at the still, wrapped forms laid out carefully on the grass. Remembered Tonks' vibrant energy, Lupin's kindness, Fred's mischievous grin, Colin's bright eagerness, Lavender's liveliness. Snape's hidden integrity.

"We remember our friends and family, who have given the ultimate sacrifice in protecting the values they - and we all - hold dear. Today, let it be known that these people, young and old alike, are the heroes of the battle of Hogwarts. We will not sully their memories by returning to the hatred, fear, and violence of these past few years. We will forge a new future. A bright, shining, hopeful day in which all of us - wizards and Muggles and all magical peoples and creatures - work together towards a true, united understanding bound by that most powerful emotion of all: love."

It was starting to get dark, and the faces around Hermione became shadowed. Yet she could hear sniffles and the muted sounds other people's grief. Slowly, everyone in attendance raised their wand's, tips lit.

She felt tears streaming down her face. Next to her, Ron put an arm around her shoulders. Harry, on Ron's other side, was also having trouble staying dry-eyed. The trio hugged, glad that they still had each other. Glad it was over, though challenges might remain.

The crowd stood in silence a few minutes after Kingsley stopped speaking. In the distance, over the mountains, fireworks began to go off. They blazed in bright colors, taking shape, bursting, and fizzing. Hermione wasn't sure who was setting them, but she was certain the whole wizarding community was with them that night.

The lights reminded her of Fred Weasley. She sobbed.

At that point, she heard talking. Real conversations from the wizards and witches around her. It was as if a dam had broken. Normal news, goings on, hugs, tears, were shared. A palpable sense of relief punctuated the grief. The war was over. Loved ones were dead, but the rest could move on to a more optimistic future.

On Hermione's other side, leaning on a blackened and broken tree, Draco stood a bit apart, pale-faced. Alone. He wasn't in tears, but his face expressed a sadness and weariness and guilt beyond his years. His parents had chosen to stand a bit back, away from the crowd. Hermione marveled at his courage in remaining with his …enemies… to pay respect to the lost, though he had been on the wrong side of the war.

"Draco…"

He turned. She gave him her hand. To her surprise, and probably his own, he took it. "Time to start anew," she said. She waved her other hand and said " _Exordium,_ " one more time. The tree next to Draco began to repair itself, growing together into a stronger, healthier vessel. It became upright again, and leaves sprouted from its trunk.

Draco silently watched her work. She saw him look down at their entwined hands, then glanced back at his parents, who were holding each other silently. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had risked so much to enter the castle to find him, Hermione thought.

"It's just that…love…" Draco said falteringly. "Harry was right. Dumbledore was right. Love matters. I now believe that love is deeper and stronger than anything the Dark - I mean, Voldemort had. I can't unsee what I've seen. I can't deny that the power of love won the day."

Harry and Ron were listening, looks of shock on their faces as they gave each other sidelong glances. Draco saw them listening, and his pointed face suddenly turned hard.

"I'm not going to go soft or anything," he said, disengaging his hand from Hermione's. "But my path will be different from my parents. That you can count on." He walked away. Back to his family. They moved off, maybe leaving the scene.

Hermione gave Harry a look, then sighed. Ron still looked amazed. "That bloody…whoa. I never thought I'd see the day. Draco Malfoy, admitting he was wrong?"

"Yeah, out of all the crazy things I've seen lately-" Harry said, shaking his head. "That takes the cake. Definitely."

"Right? I mean, we broke into the Ministry of Magic, stole from Gringott's, flew a dragon, fought a final battle at Hogwarts, and none of it even - "Ron's face was awed. "We might as well quit now. We're never going to see anything to match that ever again," he finally declared.

Hermione couldn't help a little giggle. Harry followed suit. The three of them laughed, for the first time since the end of the battle. It felt good.


	4. Chapter 4 - Fang-tastic

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 1,301

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Story Title: Fang-Tastic

Rating: T

Genre: Drama, Romance

Your Fanfic AND Facebook Name: _-Undisclosed at this Time-_

Pairing: Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger

Summary: When a simple routine night goes astray, will Draco be able to hold back the temptations he'd managed to keep for so long?

* * *

 **Fang-tastic**

Draco did not need to look up from behind the bar to know someone had walked in. "Welcome to The Three Broomsticks, I'm your bartender Draco, what can I get you." He said in that monotone voice he used every single time. Hannah had decided she wanted all the bartenders to greet every single person that came into the bar. He did not have to see her to know who she was; he could smell her the moment she walked through the door, even though she was 15 feet away.

He knew she was there, but he still was not expecting to see the Hermione Granger in the flesh. He had not seen her since that fateful day, thinking about the Battle of Hogwarts brought back an extremely painful memory. He would never admit it, but that day his life changed forever.

"Hello Malfoy." She said. She was wearing a Lavender top, with a dark charcoal pencil skirt, her hair was pulled back with a pencil sticking out of her ponytail and a single curl hanging down. He would never admit it but for a single fleeting moment he thought she was hot.

"Granger, now what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" He said, flashing his signature grin. He tossed his towel over his shoulder as he propped himself against the bar.

"For starters, I would like a Midori Sour. I've spent my day behind some Ministry Paperwork, I found out Ron has been cheating on me with some chick named Chloe and it has been a pretty long day. So, let's skip the whole 'Make FUN of Granger Charade' and get to pouring." she said putting ' _Make fun of Granger charade_ ' in air quotes with her fingers. She plopped down hard on the stool.

"Whatever you say, Hermione." So, he started pouring away as commanded. He had to be extremely careful of his movements, so he did not give anything away. He went to clean up one end of the bar until she stopped him. "So…." she said.

"So? Yes Granger?" He sighed with a puzzled expression. She tilted her head. "Where have you been all these years?" She had a very serious look upon her face just then. He breathed in and out through his nose. She was the same. He had to control over his quickly rising temper. "I've been around." He could smell the alcohol in her blood, and her heart rate had begun to rise he could see it, in the vein in her neck.

"Around. Around? You have most certainly NOT been _around_! I WAITED for you Draco!" At her words, he began to cringe. Her eyes flared. "I was looking forward for when we would share our own Heads Room during 8th year, but you never showed. What happened? You loved me." She was drunk. And with her recent outburst he was sure she was bringing up the hurt she felt from him, but this recent event with Ron had only made it worse.

"Hermione, you meet me here once a year on the same night, and you always ask me the same question. It's been _five_ years. We've grown apart since the battle Hermione, when are you going to give it up?" He was steaming at this point. Every year it was the same. She would come in, order her midori sour, and tear into him about the past. _Their_ past. Luckily for him the bar had cleared out and it was just the two of them left.

"I've figured it out you know," Her eyes flicked to her half empty glass, avoiding his eyes. "I've never seen you out during the day, your blonde hair is practically white now and your pale skin is even more sallow. You have practically become a ghost!" She peered up at him then through long, damp lashes. Her eyes were swirling with that of _knowing._ "When was the last time you ate some _actua_ l food? When was the last time you had…" He interrupted her, she found his cold finger against her lips. "DO…. NOT…. SAY…. IT."

His finger felt like ice to Hermione's flesh, freezing her in place as Draco flexed his jaw. His hollow eyes caught glimpse of her neck and they fluttered shut in exasperation.

Shoving off the bar, he hissed, throwing the rag down as he stormed out into the night air. Hermione was on his heels. He swivels to face her, the moonlight casting an eerie glow across his skin as he glared down at Hermione's small form.

"It had always been you! And instead here we are. Same chapter, different page! Tell me how it happened, I want to finally know. You've kept this from me for far too long." She was pleading with him at this point, but he had taken a step back to put some space between them.

"I've told you every single year, time and time again that I am just not ready to talk about it." His voice was almost at a whisper "It's too painful."

"It's why you never showed up, Isn't it? It happened the night of the Battle. It's why you never met me at the Whomping Willow. I knew something happened, but I didn't know what. You're a...a...Vampire." She hadn't realized that while she had spent all that pent-up energy trying to get a confession out of him, he had moved close into her proximity. She felt his ice-cold finger on her cheek.

"DO it Draco! If you ever loved me, if you truly love me, you won't abandon me again. Don't make me wait another year to see you..."

Draco was but a breath away, his chilled lips upon the curve of her neck. She arched into him, welcoming the change. Draco's fangs glistened under the moon's glare. Unexpectedly, he jerks back, snapping his jaw shut as he runs his fingers through his perfectly styled hair.

"You don't know what you're asking, Hermione! I would never want this for you."

"I do. If this is the only way we can be together I would rather this, than to go another single moment, taking another breath towards death without you. _DO_ it." Her eyes said it all. He didn't have to hear it in her voice to know she wasn't lying; one look into her eyes and he couldn't help himself.

Before either one of them knew what had happened, Draco bit down upon her flesh, feeling his fangs break the skin and the sweet taste of her blood upon his lips. When he thought he would hear pain, he could feel the vibrations of pleasure from her neck. They would finally be together at last. All those years of running from her ended with a single kiss of his fangs.


	5. Chapter 5 - Finding Love for the Weasley

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 3,970

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Story Title: Finding love for the Weasley brothers

Rating: T

Genre: Romance

Your Fanfic AND Facebook Name: _-Undisclosed at this time-  
_  
Pairing: Charlie Weasley/OC, George Weasley/Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley/Lavender Brown

Summary: When all was losing hope, new romances brewed and old romances dissolved. Follow Charlie, George and Ron as they take on New Romances.

* * *

 **Finding Love for the Weasleys**

May 2nd 1998 started off like any other day at Hogwarts since the return of voldemort and subsequent death of Dumbledore terribly and with a sense of dread that made your skin crawl and your stomach feel like it was eating you alive but would end in bitter sweet victory.

We find our beloved Hogwarts under siege every witch and wizard standing to fight against voldemort and his motley crew of death eaters and trolls. This story follows the hearts of three weasley brothers Ron George and Charlie.

First we find Charlie weasley he has came to the battle late and it's almost over he comes just as day breaks (before voldemort brings dead Harry to the front doors) he finds Emma Vanity a 7th year Gryffindor fighting for her life against a death eater and distracts the filthy rat long enough for her to kill it.

Without another word they move forward to help the others. There is blood and rubble everywhere everyone fighting for their lives when suddenly, every death eater and bad guy vanish. The castle is dead quiet everyone is lost in a state of confusion. They begin to gather the dead and gather in what's left of the great Hall.

When suddenly the air goes eerily cold and the sound of hundreds of footsteps ring out so they all step outside and find voldemort boasting about killing Harry Potter.

The fight seems to just flow out of Emma as she sees her fellow house mate dead and suddenly faced with the great dread that this is what life will always be like now and she begins to drift away into her thoughts and almost falls as a strong pair of arms catch her and lift her up.

She looks up to find Charlie weasley she says Thank you, for helping me again. She starts to speak more when Harry Potter suddenly comes back to life and the battle is raging yet again and they fight side by side through the rubble against the death eaters who stayed until the bitter end.

Voldemort is finally gone but so are so many others including Charlie's little brother Fred, upon hearing of his brother's death Charlie was wrecked and Emma did her best to console him by making small talk asking about what he did where he lived what he wanted to do now that voldemort was gone.

For Charles weasley the answer was always the same thing he wanted to work with dragons which intrigued her, as her specialty is in care of magical creatures. He left with his family and she was left to her own thoughts about the future and what it might hold for her as this was her last year at Hogwarts and she needed to decide what was next she began to wonder what it would be like to join her new friend in Romania to study dragons for herself and get as far away from this mess and heartache as she could.

She decided later that evening after graduating Hogwarts she would sign up for an internship at the sanctuary in Romania. Charlie found himself stuck with thoughts of how short life is and wanting what his parents had a partner in life he shakes it off and attributes it to the death of his brother.

But when he returns to Romania he finds himself yet again thinking about marriage and family, but he's surrounded by men and muggles who couldn't possibly begin to understand the life he lives one single thought begins to haunt his thoughts will he ever find love?

Daily he struggles with his own thoughts months go by when out of the blue in walks Emma Vanity the young witch who fought so bravely by his side at Hogwarts and then tried to help distract him from himself when he found out he lost his brother she was a good friend and fellow beast lover.

It took Charlie by surprise that when she walked in for her first day that he felt butterflies in his stomach not something he was used to or the way her curiosity and passion for magical creatures seemed to only draw him to her more something strange was going on he needed to call his mum.

While he didn't know what to make of his new feelings and sudden painful awareness of every move she makes he knew his life was about to be sent on a roller coaster ride that he never knew he needed to ride.

Now we find a very confused but very happy Mrs Weasley at home in the burrow. She had long since given up hope of ever marrying off Charlie but now there was hope brewing in the wake of this disaster after all!

Out of the corner of her eye she catches sight of Ron and Hermione in what looked like a very emotional discussion this has almost become normal for them lately and she's been doing the best she can to keep them together but she's not sure she can anymore and poor George barely comes out of his room and rarely eats anything what was she going to do?

Lost in her thoughts she almost misses a crying Hermione go racing past her to the door. Almost but not quite she follows Hermione outside and finds her sitting on a small Hill behind the house.

She asks Hermione what's wrong and holds her close as Hermione blubber almost inaudibly about how she and Ron were just two worlds apart with no way to work it out.

Molly let out a heavy sigh and said there there dear all will be alright you're always welcome here dear no matter what happens now come inside and eat you'll feel better in a full stomach.

The two giggled just a little as they headed back to the house to find George at the dinner table for the first time. Molly breathed a little sigh of relief to see him there as Hermione set next to him and he saw she was upset and made Ron's fork slip from his hand and dance just out of his reach which made Hermione giggle and himself smile just a bit. Maybe Molly didn't need to meddle it looked like things were going to sort themselves out just fine.

But as Molly hoped things would work out, you could hear Hermione and Ron arguing again. This time it was on a more serious matter, the Daily Prophet had caught Ron lip locked with Lavender Brown.

You could hear Ron and Hermione argue about it. Molly sighs but jumps when she sees Charlie apparate with a beautiful young lady. "Mum this Emma, and we're getting married," Charlie says. Molly faints upon hearing the news.

You can hear Charlie yelling throughout the house for help. "Guys mom fainted!" You could see faces popping into the room as everyone heard what was going on with Molly.

"Why did she faint son?" Mr. Weasley asks.

"I told her I was getting married," Charlie responds again.

The whole room gasps. "When? Where?" Molly asks waking up.

"Two weeks, and we're hopping here Mr. And Mrs. Weasley," Emma says. You could see Ginny and Hermione share a look as they grab Emma's hand and run upstairs giggling.

The guys just look at each other. "Butter beer?" George asks. They all nod and go to the table.

The girls are upstairs talking about the wedding when they get called downstairs. "I figured we should all plan this out as a family," Molly says.

You can see the tension between Ron and Hermione. "Before anyone gets to happy I need to say Ron and I are no longer together, it's just we don't see the same anymore, and it's better. But Charlie I'm so happy for you and Emma," Hermione tells them. No one looks shocked though and just start planning the wedding.

George looks over to Hermione seeing her really upset. He got to thinking about how he could make her smile or laugh. He digs into his pockets and finds a trick candy. He smirks knowing what he was going to do. Everyone started to eat, talking about the wedding plans.

"Ginny, Hermione would you mind being bridesmaids I don't have anyone else?" Emma asks. Both girls nodded. Pretty soon dinner was over.

"Oh hey Ron I brought some candy over if you would like some?" George says reaching for the bag and handing it over to his brother. No one suspected since George really hasn't pranked since Fred passed. Ron happily takes them and Charlie reaches for one.

"No Charlie I bought those over for Ron, here take this Chocolate frog," George says. Ron happily eats all the candy as fast as he could. After about ten minutes he had puss filled sores all over his face that started exploding.

Everyone starts to laugh but George looks over at Hermione who had a small smile and he heard a small giggle come out of her mouth and he smiles at his success. Even though Ron was mad he was the one who got pranked he was happy his brother started pranking again.

"Hermione can I talk to you outside?" George asks. She nods her head and they both head outside. "I know he cheated I seen the paper, do you have another place to stay?" He asks her.

She shakes her head no. "I have been staying home since Fred's passing but I have an extra room above the shop now, and it's lonely being by myself you could stay over at my place if you want, with me and help me reopen the shop?" he offered hopefully .

She looks up at him with fresh tears in her eyes. George wipes her tears away as he feels her hug him. He feels some type of spark as she wraps her arms around him. "Thank you George,and I'd be happy to help you" She mumbles hugging him.

They walk back into the house, George goes up to his room and gathers some of his things. Then they apparate to Hermione and Ron's apartment so She could grab some of her things. After that they apparate to the joke shop, it looked dull compared to the last time she was in here. She was looking forward to helping George reopen, he needed this. Now we go back to the burrow.

"Where'd George go?" Ginny asks her mom.

"He went back to the shop with Hermione, Ronald get in the kitchen i need to talk to you," Molly yells. Ron sulks in. "Explain," She says pointing to the paper on the counter.

"I cheated on Hermione with Lavender, I was at the bar after an argument with Hermione. I knew we weren't in love like we used to be, in fact I haven't been in love with her for a while, But I was hoping it was just because of losing Fred, that it would pass and that everything would be ok again. So I'm sitting at the bar drinking and thinking when I see lavender walk in and I was drawn to her and I couldn't help it she sat down next to me and we got to talking and dancing and drinking and I realized that I connect with her in ways that I can't connect with Hermione anymore and I went with it mum I started seeing her and avoiding Hermione we were careful until the other day we got caught and mum I swear I was going to break things off with Hermione but every time I tried I couldn't," Ron explains.

"How dare you cheat on her. I understand what your saying about not being in love anymore but you should have broken up with her," Molly sighed.

 **oOo**

George and Hermione were working side by side to finish everything before they reopened in a few days. They were laughing at each other as they harmlessly pranked one another. The door bell rang announcing the arrival of customers or so they thought...

It was actually Ginny and Emma come to pick up Hermione to go dress shopping for the wedding. Hermione slipped off the ladder landing on George. The ladies stop just short of Hermione and George laying on the ground laughing with each other.

The ladies smile to themselves before Ginny cleared her throat. "Hermione are you ready to go dress shopping?" Ginny asks smirking.

The two jumped up from there spot on The floor. "Yes let's go," Hermione says grabbing her bag leaving George there grinning sheepishly as he rubs the back of his head.

The three girls apparate to the dress shop where Molly was waiting. "Hello Hermione dear, how are you and George?" Molly asks.

"They looked just fine to us," Ginny smirks. "We're fine waiting, we should be able to open the shop in a few days," Hermione says smiling.

Molly notices a new twinkle in the girl's eye. She just smiles to herself. Emma goes on and tries on a long white gown. She comes out.

"No it's just not you," Molly says. Hermione smirked as she sees a gown that looks like a dragon skin.

"Emma,Emma try this on," Hermione says rushing over to her. Emma smiles as she grabs the gown. She goes and tries it on and comes out.

The three gasp at the sight of her and you could hear Molly sniffling. "You look amazing," Molly says.

"This is the one," Emma says. Now they go to look at bridesmaids dresses. After hours of shopping they all found perfect dresses and bought them.

"Do you think we can put these in your closet," Molly asks Hermione.

"Yeah that's fine, you can see the shop and George too," Hermione replies smiling when She says his name. Molly didn't miss that either.

They apparate back to the shop. "Mione is that you," George asks.

"Yeah, I brought your mom and the girls back so we can put our dresses in my closet," Hermione replies back to him.

"Hi Mum," George says appearing. Molly takes in her son's appearance, he's wearing his normal smirk and looks good.

"The shop looks good," Molly says looking around.

"Couldn't of done it without her," George says putting his arm around Hermione.

Hermione's cheeks turn a deep red as she blushes. "I've actually had a lot of fun, I don't know why I scolded you boys so much in school," Hermione replies smirking. The three decided it would be a good time to head home and leave the two alone.

After everyone left George and Hermione got back to work on the store. After a couple of hours George's belly began to rumble quite loudly so he called out to Hermione "Are you hungry?"

She replied from across the room, "Yes very much." After several minutes of discussion with no clear answers they decided to take a walk and see what sounded good to eat as neither of them were any good at cooking and they couldn't make up their minds.

They set out to see what Diagon alley had to offer today as it seemed to always be changing lately. Their conversation was light and easy talking about the dress shopping and what things needed to be ordered for the store and some decorating ideas Hermione had for the apartment above the shop, when they caught a glimpse of Ron and Lavender looking in the window of a jewelry store.

Hermione visibly stiffened and stopped moving. George put his arm around Hermione and turned her away from his brother to face him and lifted her chin with his hand until she was looking him in the eye and he gently wiped away her tears with his other hand as he began to speak gently

"Hermione my brother was a blimey fool to leave such a beautiful intelligent funny woman whose eyes sparkle like the sun reflecting on the lake and who's smile lights up the room and helps heal a broken heart" Hermione gasped as she realized that George was feeling what she had only guessed she might be feeling over the last week or so and she let him bend down and kiss her gently on the lips and pull her close to him. It was heavenly she felt as if she were flying and every inch of her didn't want this moment to end.

As she opened her eyes George was smiling down at her and she was so lost in the moment that she didn't see or hear Ron and lavender walk up to them until Ron cleared his throat and said "Good afternoon".

George and Hermione turned to look at them and before either one could speak lavender spoke up "Hermione I owe you an apology even though I wasn't aware that your relationship with Ron wasn't over the Daily prophet isn't how you should have found out and for what it's worth I chewed Ron out when I found out the truth, I hope that when you're ready we can move forward and be happy for each other."

As she laid her left hand down on Ron's arm with a sparkling diamond on her ring finger. Hermione began to giggle uncontrollably while they all just kind of stared at her.

Once she'd caught her breath and was able to speak again she said "I'm not angry with you, either one of you. Things had been terrible between Ron and I for quite some time now and honestly you just gave us a reason to do what neither of us had been strong enough to do up until then. I want to say thank you for that and thank you for freeing me to be with someone who can really see me and love me the way I need to be loved. So I'm happy for you both and I wish you the best."

Ron and Lavender stood there with their jaws practically on the ground for a few minutes before George said "Well we must get going before our stomachs decide to eat themselves have a good day." And they walked away dipping into a pub the next block over.

 **oOo**

Molly was afraid all hell would break loose at the rehearsal dinner, considering Ron, Lavender and Hermione would all be in the same room.

She looked around her room for something, She was going to give to George, she felt like he was the the right son to give it too. "Aha, gotcha," Molly says as she picks up the ring.

She smirks as she puts it on her finger until tonight. She smiles as she finishes getting ready for the night.

"Who are you giving that ring too hun?" Arthur asks his wife.

"George, so when he's ready to propose to Hermione he can. The ring suits the girl I think," Molly explains.

This was true as it was the kids grandmother's engagement ring, it looked like two delicate twigs were holding up a pearl. Lavender and Ron were the first to show up, probably so Ron can sneak snacks as they are waiting for everyone else. Next was Harry and Ginny.

Pretty soon everyone was here except for George and Hermione. There was a pop and suddenly laughter filled the house. It was a male and a woman's laughter. Everyone rushed into the kitchen where the fireplace was.

There was George and Hermione on the floor, Hermione had fallen on top of George. "Bout time you showed up," Charlie teases. The two looked up from each other and seen everyone looking at them. George stood up and helped Hermione up.

"Sorry about being late. Hermione here wanted to bring a dessert for everyone so we did some last minute baking," George said.

Hermione sticks out her tongue at him, and goes and hugs Charlie and Emma. Everyone goes to the dining room table that was put outside.

"George stay back and help me dear," Molly said. George stayed back. "Here I want to give you this. I was going to give it to Ron for when he was ready to marry Hermione but I see now her heart lies with you. I also see how you be coming your carefree and happy self with her," Molly tells him handing him the ring.

George puts it in an extra box and puts it in his pocket before he goes and hugs his mum. Then they head outside to join the rest of the family.

George sits next to Hermione who is sitting across from Lavender and Ron. The four just share a small smile not talking about what had happened yesterday.

 **oOo**

"Today's the day," Charlie mumbles waking up. The wedding was in a few hours so he went down and ate breakfast.

The house was silent but then a loud,"I knew it," was screamed by Emma and Ginny. What the bloody hell Charlie thinks.

Pretty soon it was wedding time. Charlie was waiting down at the altar for his bride, with his best man's by his side. First Ginny comes down, followed by Hermione, and then the song starts to play for the bride.

Emma starts to come down the aisle and Charlie starts to tear up, she looked absolutely breathtaking. She reaches Charlie and officiant starts the wedding.

"You may now kiss your bride," The officiant tells Charlie. Charlie leans down and kisses Emma. Everyone stands up and claps. But Molly notices George staring at Hermione and playing with something in his pocket. She just smirks.

It was time to eat and do speeches. "Our first speech is going to be from Molly," Someone announced.

"Charlie just as I was loosing hope on you finding love you brought home Emma who is very beautiful and fits you well, so now I gained a beautiful daughter in law who shares your crazy dragon dream," Molly says.

Next was Ron, then Hermione, lastly we have George. "Hi guys, I'm George. You should know that. Charlie and Emma what can I say that hasn't already been said? Not much but I am proud of you guys and wish you both the best and thank you for letting me do this. When I thought I couldn't be happy after losing Fred. The last few weeks I've truly fallen for you a boyhood crush has blossomed into true love. When you want to kill me and do my best to love you everyday the way you need me to. So now I'm asking you to join me on stage," George says.

Hermione gets up and walks over to him. He gets down on one knee. "I promise to love you, make you laugh when you want to kill me, will you marry me," He asks.

Everyone but Emma, Ginny, Molly, Lavender, and Ron was shocked. "Yes," Hermione yells. Everyone claps and screams. George gets up after putting the ring on and hugs her.

"I knew it, I knew it," could be heard from Ginny and Emma screaming.

Hermione looks down at her hand. "Its beautiful. I love it," She tells George.

"It was my grandmother's mum gave it to me because she thought it fit you, " He tells her. Hermione smiles as Molly comes up and hugs them both. And that's the end of tale of finding love for the Weasley brothers.


	6. Chapter 6 - Magic Hour

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 3,209

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Story Title: Magic Hour

Rating: T

Genre: Romance. Drama

Your Fanfic AND Facebook Name: _-Undisclosed at this Time-_

Pairing: Harry/Ginny

Summary: Hogwarts has always been Harry's home. But every year has been much more eventful than he could have bargained for. Now, Harry has a chance to come back to finish his education after the war, with nothing to focus on but his studies. But what kind of year at Hogwarts would it be, if nothing happens?

* * *

 **Magic Hour**

It was golden hour.

Harry sat under the great oak by the Great Lake and considered his options.

It had started off simply enough. A casual touch of the hand as they passed each other in the narrow hallways over the summer. A whiff of her hair as she zipped past him on her broomstick, in the orchard behind the house. The kiss on the cheek that she had given him on his 18th birthday; so simple and far removed from the kiss she had given him last year, and yet so full of promise. Before he knew it, he was madly, deeply, and truly in love with one Ginny Weasley. Again.

It all came to a head one warm night in early August. Harry had been sitting outside the Burrow, alone, much like now, preoccupied and considering his options, when Ginny had come strolling along. She sat down next to him, flopping down on the grass with the wild abandon of young child. To this day, Harry wondered where she had picked up her positivity, her optimism, her fire.

They sat together in silence for several minutes. Harry marveled at the feeling of sitting so comfortably with another person as the memories of their few stolen weeks together came floating back. It had been like living in a storybook tale.

"Are you thinking about Hogwarts?"

The question didn't catch him unaware. He had, indeed, been thinking about Hogwarts. But as Ginny already knew, he thought about little else. Harry glanced over at her. It was golden hour, magic hour, and the setting sun set her hair alight. She looked as though she had been set afire.

"Always," Harry smiled.

"I think," she said softly, turning to look at him, "that you've done everything you could have done. You did everything. Everyone who's gone… you need to forgive yourself."

The thought was one that Harry had already examined many, many times. It was familiar. An old friend.

"Maybe, you're right, Ginny."

"Of course I am. You're just a person, caught up in this war, and you did the best you could. Just like everyone else." She paused, before continuing. "And everyone needs you to be a symbol. But you know… I need you to be… just Harry."

Harry smiled nostalgically, a memory coming back to him: an 11-year old and a half giant, who had smiled and changed his life with one sentence. "Yer a wizard, Harry."

He looked at her then, her eyes warm and inviting, and her hair a fiery red halo around her face. He leaned over and kissed her. It was as natural as breathing. He fell into the memory of their first kiss after the Quidditch Final at the same moment that he fell into her arms. They were soft, and welcoming. And from that moment on, Ginny Weasley was officially his girlfriend. It was like they could continue exactly where they had left off. As if the last year of hunting Voldemort didn't exist.

And so, Harry had found himself with a new purpose, returning to Hogwarts for his 7th year, with Ginny at his side. Hogwarts, newly rebuilt, was waiting to welcome him home in a way that nothing else ever could.

And now, if you fast forward several months of delightful dating later during an uneventful year, Harry was absolutely, positively sure, that by some colossal slip of he didn't even know what, he had managed to get his girlfriend, the one Ginny Weasley, pregnant.

Why was Harry so absolutely sure of this life-changing situation?

Well, for one thing, Harry had chanced upon his girlfriend at breakfast last week, nibbling away at a carrot. Now there were three things that Harry knew about Ginny Weasley with an absolute certainty. She cast the best bat-bogey hex in existence. She harbored a secret passion for all things Muggle that only Arthur Weasley could rival. And she, could not, stand carrots.

So the sight of Ginny Weasley daintily chewing on the end of a carrot, as if she were at a formal dinner, as owls swooped above her head was enough to stop Harry in his tracks. However, if that were not definitive proof that something was not quite as routine in the land of Ginny, the other day when they had sat down to a picnic in a secluded corner of the Hogwarts grounds and he had offered her a sandwich, Ginny had made a rather unpleasant face after sniffing it, and dropped it delicately on her plate. Now it does not even seem worth noting, that tuna salad was Ginny's absolute favorite sandwich. He had even put pickles on it for her.

Harry had questioned Ginny about her sudden change in eating habits, and the questions had been first delicately and then forcefully ignored. Ginny had then gone especially out of her way to distract him, by fully taking advantage of their secluded surroundings and performing a series of quite impressive acrobatic feats, which kept him sufficiently occupied.

In the days following, he had noted her complaining to her girlfriends about feeling bloated, had watched her skip two Quidditch practices, and had noticed that Ginny's chest area looked impressively fine in her spring uniform blouse.

Now, Harry had delicately put together all these hints, and came up with the only logical solution. Despite the precautions they had taken, he must have somehow managed to knock up his girlfriend. There was simply no other explanation for it. And what was worse - Ginny had not confided in him!

So all in all, Harry was absolutely unsure as to how to proceed. He couldn't fathom why Ginny would keep such a secret from him. Certainly, he had proved himself to be trustworthy and caring. Certainly, the last eight months they had spent together had built Ginny's trust and confidence in him. And certainly, she could not possibly imagine he would abandon her if she told him the truth.

Harry briefly entertained the idea that Ginny herself was unaware of the pregnancy. But she was an exceedingly clever witch after all. It was simply impossible.

So in the end, Harry was left in a rather difficult position. Should he confront Ginny about his suspicions? Should he continue to wait for her to come to him? It was quite a predicament.

At that moment, someone put their hands around his eyes. Harry jumped nearly a mile.

"Guess who!" A familiar voice said, trailing off in a fit of laughter.

"Ginny, my love," Harry said, calming down. "Must you sneak up on me and scare me every single time that you find me all alone?"

"Indeed, I must." She grinned.

Harry turned around and eyed her critically. She was all smiles and fire, and everything good in the world.

"Ginny," Harry said seriously, "won't you tell me why you don't eat tuna anymore?"

"Sorry, Harry, no can do."

"What about chicken? You stopped eating that too."

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid it's a secret."

Harry sighed, frustrated. "Ginny, just tell me. Is everything OK? I'm here for you, you know that right?"

She eyed him quizzically, her gaze running down his concerned face.

"Harry James Potter," she sighed. "You worry too much. Everything is fine, really. Now, I've got an idea for something we can do that's a little more interesting than tuna and chicken."

That night, Harry discovered a series of new acrobatic maneuvers that Ginny Weasley possessed, of which he had been previously unaware. They were definitely more interesting than tuna and chicken.

oOoOo

Harry circled high above the Quidditch Pitch, keeping an eye on his team as he searched for the Golden Snitch. It was a perfect day for Quidditch - slightly breezy and slightly cloudy, with just a hint of sun warming the pitch. Gryffindor held a slight lead over Ravenclaw, and Harry's role in catching the Snitch was of utmost importance.

The crowd roared in the stands as he swept his eyes over the pitch. He could see Luna out of the corner of his eye, sporting her signature eagle. He pulled away from the stands, searching for that glint of gold. As his eyes moved to the other side of the pitch, he glimpsed Ginny, speeding toward the Ravenclaw goal posts with the Quaffle under her arm. The wind swept her hair back in a cloud as she charged ahead. She was gorgeous.

That's when he saw it.

Harry darted forward, racing for the glint of gold he spotted some 15 feet above Ginny. It hovered still for a second, then shot upward. Harry chased after it, darting past Ginny so quickly he barely caught a whiff of her hair, as he flew higher in pursuit. He saw Ravenclaw's Seeker, Gerard Willerby, closing in from the other direction, but he was still too far away to make it in time. Harry reached out a hand to grab it. He fingers almost closed around the golden ball. Then he heard the screams.

Harry whipped his head around so quickly, he felt a sharp pain in his neck. His eyes searched immediately for the redhead who brought his world alive, and he felt a fist clench over his heart as he saw her tumbling down off her broomstick, the Quaffle spinning randomly off to the side. He spun around wildly, his fingers sharply brushing against the cold metal of the Snitch as he raced towards Ginny.

The few moments that followed blurred together like the wind in a storm. He was speeding towards her. The screams in his ears were barely audible over the frantic beating of his heart. Her sunset hair made intricately wild patterns as she tumbled though the sky. The clouds. He had a grasp on her hand, and the sudden additional weight dragged his broomstick down sharply. He could just barely make out the collective shapes of hundreds of faces moving, rising, somewhere in the background behind the billowing locks of her hair. He could see only orange. He had both arms around her tightly, without knowing how they had gotten there. And then they were going down. Down. And before he knew it, they were on the ground, and Ginny was in his arms, and he could feel the vibrations of dozens of people rushing closer and closer.

oOoOo

Harry stood outside the Hospital Wing, anxiously tapping his foot on the floor. After Ginny had been taken away, he had not been allowed in to see her while Madame Pomfrey examined her. He could just barely hear the murmured voices of Pomfrey and McGonagall drifting out into the hall. He moved closer, pressing his ear to the door, until their murmurs became more audible.

"…and you're quite sure about this?" He heard McGonagall ask. "This is why she fell off the broom?"

"That is how it appears, Minerva. I'll have to confirm with a more in depth examination."

"I can't believe Ginny Weasley would be so foolish. It's ridiculous."

"Well she is a young girl, after all. They've all been through a lot. I daresay, they're all susceptible to making some mistakes."

"And do you suppose Potter knows about this? Surely he couldn't be responsible. I wouldn't believe it of him."

Harry gulped and turned away from the doorway. He nearly jumped for the second time in two weeks. Ron was standing there, his hair windswept and his face flushed, as if he had just run a mile. Considering he was still holding his Beater's helmet, it was safe to say he probably had. Harry eyed him nervously.

"And what," asked Ron slowly in a measured voice," exactly are you responsible for?"

Harry gulped again.

"Well, you see…"

At that moment, he heard footsteps approaching from inside the Hospital Wing. He grabbed Ron's arm, and pulled him away from the doorway, down the hall, and finally into an empty classroom. Harry pushed Ron inside and shut the door behind them, leaning up against it.

"What the hell is going on, Harry?" Ron growled, raising his voice. "What's wrong with my sister?!"

"Well, you see," Harry started again. "Now please, don't be upset…"

Ron continued to stare at Harry evenly.

"Ron, I am so sorry, but… well… Ginny's pregnant."

The silence that filled the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"WHAT?" Ron finally exploded.

"Ron, I don't know how it happened. We were very careful."

"You and my sister?! Having sex?!"

"Ron, I love her!" Harry retorted. "And have you not done it with Hermione?"

"This isn't about Hermione. This is about my sister, Potter!"

"Ron, please. You know that I'm not just messing around with Ginny. I want to spend the rest of my life with her!"

They both stopped yelling, looking at each other. Both were breathing hard. The silence stretched on. Finally, Ron broke it.

"Well, then you know what you have to do now, don't you?"

oOoOo

It was golden hour again.

Harry stood by the oak tree by the Great Lake and watched Ginny as she stood by the edge, facing the water. Her fiery hair blew around her in the gentle breeze.

He clutched the small box in his pocket, that he had taken out of his Gringotts vault just this morning. It had taken some time to track down, but he had found it. Ginny was the one he was meant to be with, after all. He thought that perhaps he had been waiting for this moment his whole life.

At that moment, Ginny turned around, her face lighting up in a wicked grin.

"Harry, you know you don't have my penchant for surprises."

"Well, it's not much of a surprise, I am the one who asked you to meet me here, after all."

"I suppose you are," she smiled. "What is it you want?"

Harry stepped closer. This was it. This was the moment.

"Ginny," he started. "I have a question for you."

He stumbled slightly over his feet as he dropped to one knee, and found himself there just a tad before he intended. Ginny's reaction was not quite what he expected.

"Did you trip on the tree root again, Harry?"

"What? No."

"Well here, do you need a hand up?"

"No, this is very much intentional."

She started at him then, her face frozen in surprise.

"I take it back, perhaps you can out surprise me after all."

"Ginny," Harry said, before she could say anything else, as he pulled the ring out of his robes. "I love you. We haven't graduated yet, and I know this is still early, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

She had put her hands over her mouth in shock and was eyeing Harry though her fingers. From the little he could see of her face, he decided she seemed pleased.

"Will you marry me?"

She nodded. For once, she was lost for words. He could see her eyes glistening slightly with unshed tears.

He took the ring out of its box and slipped it gently on her finger. It fit perfectly, as if it had always been meant for her.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"It was my mum's."

Harry stood up and hugged her. "I'm so glad, Ginny."

"Me too. This is amazing. I can't believe you did this!"

"And Ginny, I know about the baby."

There was a pause. Then…

"What baby?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked dumbly. "Our baby."

She continued to stare at him.

"You're pregnant. Right?" He added, turning it into a question.

"Uh… No."

"Wait…" Harry said. "So you're not avoiding your favorite foods because you're pregnant?"

Ginny continued to stare at him.

"And what about falling off your broomstick? Skipping practices? Eating carrots?"

"Carrots," she said. "No wonder you're confused."

"But Ginny…" Harry started, then quailed under her furious gaze.

"Harry James Potter," Ginny growled, "I am not pregnant. You know how effective magical contraception is. Are you a bloody idiot? I am simply following an all vegan diet that Hermione and I found in one of her Muggle magazines. And I forgot to take my bloody vitamins."

A pause.

"I see," Harry muttered.

Another pause.

"So," said Ginny, calming down. "I haven't been honest with you, and you've gone off on your own and behaved like a real prat with your assumptions, so I'll say we're even. Now then, I think we must address the elephant in the room. Are we still engaged?"

"What!" Harry said, shocked. "You said yes to me, Ginny Weasley, you can hardly back out now."

She smiled.

"That's good, Harry Potter. Because the only way you're getting this back is if you pry it off my finger."

At that moment, they heard a distant unintelligible shout coming from the direction of the castle. It was getting louder as it moved closer. Ginny squinted in the direction of the castle, then turned to Harry.

"Did you, by any chance, discuss your suspicions with our good friend Ron?"

"You mean our good brother, Ron?" Harry asked avoiding answering the question.

"That would be the one."

"Families are terrible at keeping secrets. And excellent at eavesdropping."

"Ah," Ginny said. "Well that just explains everything. Let's run, shall we?"

"Yes, that seems like a well thought out plan," Harry replied, as the pair of them started jogging around the lake.

"By the way, Ginny," Harry called, as they ran, "Are you still taking that potion you made with Hermione?"

"No, we ran out," Ginny called back.

"Ah," said Harry. "Well then, about you not being pregnant, when I thought you were, I stopped using my contraceptive charm. So you should probably look into that again."

There has never since been such an eventful golden hour at the Great Lake at Hogwarts, as the one where Harry Potter was chased around the lake by two angry redheads.

It was rather striking.


	7. Chapter 7 - Memorial In White

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 1,273

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Title: Memorial In White

Rating: T

Genre: Romance

Fanfic and facebook name _-Undisclosed at this time-_

Paring Harry&Draco, Neville and Luna, Hermione and Theo

Summery. What Happens when six students get together to plan a memorial.

* * *

 **Memorial In White**

Harry looked at his reflection in the mirror as he got ready, his eyes baggy from lack of sleep. After thirteen years, he still woke up with nightmares of the battle: Ron and Ginny's lifeless bodies lying on the ground, their eyes glossed over and drained of color.

The sound of the door opening jolted him from his haunted musings, and he turned to see Hermione at the door, smiling at him as she walked into the room.

"You ready?" she asked in a comforting tone.

"Not really, but it's time we move on," Harry replied, standing with a slouch.

Hermione and Harry walked towards the Great Hall in silence. When they arrived, Hermione and Harry's fiancés were already speaking with Headmistress McGonagall. They had all come back to Hogwarts on request of McGonagall to be give the dedication of the memorial. Each had a reason to not want to be here, each had lost someone in the war. Draco peered over at Harry and smiled, walking with purpose over to him and wrapping his arms around Harry's waist, kissing him sweetly. Harry could tell Draco had not slept well either since the war, reliving the deaths of his father and Pansy. Theo gripped Hermione's waist as she curled her arms around his neck, both sharing a hug and kiss of their own, both remembering the ones they lost.

McGonagall cleared her throat, bringing the four of them to face her as Neville and Luna walked in.

"Thank you for coming. I know it's hard," she said, her voice holding strength the others lacked in that moment. "We all lost loved ones in the war, but we are the best ones to help with the memorial." She continued, her eyes boring into each set that stared back at her.

Harry looked at his old professor, remembering how she had been the driving force of the final battle, and how she had broken down when she saw Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick fall gallantly to the ground.

"Now since we are all here, I think we should decide what the monument should reflect and resemble. The appearance will honor those lost in the war," she continued. The former students all looked at each other and shrugged.

"Can you give us some time to talk it over?" asked Theo looking at Hermione.

"Of course." McGonagall replied understandingly, "we will meet back here at six this evening to finalize everything."

The six former students sat around one of the wooden tables that occupied the hall, and started talking about various ideas. Hours seem to pass, and still they were getting nowhere.

"What if we build a stone sorting hat and have statues of the animals that represent each house around it?" suggested Luna. The others exchanged glances with one another in silent contemplation.

"That's a great idea actually," replied Draco sitting up, "and we can add the names of the fallen on the hat."

"That is a great idea!" chimed in Neville. He paused, suddenly looking nervous. "I think I have another great idea," he peered over at Luna lovingly, "since we are all engaged, w-what if we have a triple wedding of sorts?" Neville's face grew hot under the scrutiny of his former schoolmates, but he

swallowed hard and continued, "On the day of the anniversary to show that that day can be a happy one. And that way it will be like the ones we lost are here."

Everyone sat for a while in a stunned quietude, then out of nowhere a voice broke that silence.

"I think it's a lovely idea."

Jumping in their seat, they turned to see all their house ghosts floating in the room.

"I think a wedding is a wonderful idea," said The Gray lady.

"Yes, I think it would be a great idea to honor the memories of the fallen," said the Bloody Barron swishing his sword in a salute of sorts.

"Well it looks like you all have come to a decision," Said McGonagall as she reentered the room.

"Well we all agree on the memorial, but there is another idea we have not yet discussed with you." said Theo.

They told McGonagall the details they had for the memorial, and how they wanted to write the names on the sorting hat rather than the mascots to show unity among the dead. Then they told her about Neville's idea to have a triple wedding at the unveiling, and how he thought it would help honor the memories of the fallen.

McGonagall thought for a moment, "That's a beautiful sentiment, if you are all up for it." She grinned.

Harry and the others shared the same expressions complete with smiles.

"We love the idea. On one condition," said Luna in her sweet, airy voice.

"What might that be?" asked McGonagall quirking a thin eyebrow.

"You have be the one that marries us," said Theo.

Smiling with glistened eyes, McGonagall replied, "I thought you'd never ask!"

~ May 4, 2011 ~

Join us for the 13th anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts with the memorial unveiling

Location: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Time: 5:00 pm

The day of the Memorial service/Wedding had finally arrived, and everyone was busy getting final preparations done. Everyone was there: the remaining Weasley's, the Grangers, Mr. Lovegood, Mrs. Malfoy, Hagrid, Mrs. Nott, Neville's grandmother, a bunch of their friends from school, and of course the Ghosts of Hogwarts.

McGonagall stepped up to the podium and announced that the design had been decided on by Harry, Hermione, Draco, Theo, Luna, and Neville. With that, she waved her wand and the great memorial appeared in the middle of the court yard. Everyone gasped as the saw the beautiful marble structure of

the house mascots. In its center was the large sorting hat, bearing the names written magically upon its surface. After everyone got a chance to go and look at the memorial, McGonagall cleared her throat.

"We have another surprise for you today," she paused, regaining the audience's full attention before continuing, "To honor the memory of the ones lost, the committee decided to have a triple wedding today."

Right as she finished with her words, the couples emerged. Hermione and Theo came out first, followed by Harry and Draco, then Luna and Neville. Everyone looked in awe as the couples made their way down the aisle towards the memorial. When they reached the center of the courtyard, McGonagall smiled and began the ceremony. After what seemed like forever, she was able to announce the words the six in front of her had impatiently been waiting for.

"I now pronounce you magically bound. You may kiss your Beloved!"

Everyone cheered and hollered as they kissed. The couples turned towards their family and friends and smiled, remembering the ones that were not there and promising to never forget them.

And they lived happily ever after…For now


	8. Chapter 8 - The Fear of Falling Apart

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 2,441

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Title: The Fear of Falling Apart

Rating: T

Genre: Drama/Romance

Fanfic Name and Facebook Name: _-Undisclosed at this time-_

Pairing: Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger

Summary: After the events of the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione felt something wasn't right in her relationship with Ron. When a certain blond reappears into her life, he manages to fill the void, keeping her from falling apart altogether.

* * *

 **The Fear of Falling Apart**

This is gospel for the fallen ones, locked away in permanent slumber...

May 10, 1998

It was as though the sky knew what today was as the rain had not let up for hours. Hermione sat, staring out the window and sighed, knowing what awaited her. Remus and Tonks' funeral had happened just the day before, and no one was prepared to bury Fred today, nor was Hermione prepared for what she knew had to come after.

"Ready, 'Mione?" Harry asked her, coming into the room and interrupting her thoughts.

"I don't know that I'll ever be ready. I have to do it. I know that I have to, but, I mean...we're burying his brother today. I don't know if I can," she replied.

Harry sighed. "Ron is like my brother," he said. "But, you don't love him. You and I both know that, and he does too. Deep down, he knows. That's why you have to do this today. Best to get it all over and done with, instead of leading him on."

"I know," Hermione replied, breathing a heavy sigh. "I just need to figure out how to break it to him." Her eyes turned back to the window, glazing over, and Harry knew he had lost her.

oOoOo

The funeral was sad, as was to be expected. As people filed out of the graveyard where Fred had been buried beside the other war heroes, Hermione pulled Ron off to the side, under a tree to escape the rain. Harry started to follow, but one look from Hermione had him running off to catch up to Ginny, putting his arm around her as he did so. The two watched their best friend go, neither looking one another in the eye until he had disappeared over the hill. At that, Hermione looked towards the ginger boy.

"Ron…," she started.

"No. You can't do this. I won't let you. I know what's coming. I can't do this. Not today. Not ever. I love you, Hermione. I'm not letting you go. Not now. Not ever."

"Ron."

"No!"

"Ronald, listen to me, please! I'm having enough trouble doing this without you interrupting me."

"Well, if you're having trouble, just don't do it. Stay with me, 'Mione." He pleaded with his eyes.

"I can't do that. I don't love you. What happened in the chamber was a fluke. A mistake. I didn't think we'd make it through the war. I honestly thought we were going to die."

Ron had a response ready to go, starting almost before she'd finished her sentence. "You can learn to love me. I promise. Hermione, I'll make this worth your while. You may not love me yet, but I love you. I do. I love you more than anything. "

"If you love me, let me go." With that, she turned and walked into the rain, leaving Ron standing alone behind her.

oOoOo

 _These words are knives that often leave scars - the fear of falling apart._

April 24, 2003

Close to five years had passed since that rainy afternoon in May when they buried Fred. The three ex-Gryffindors remained close friends, even though things hadn't been quite the same between Ron and Hermione since the funeral. The fact that Draco had started hanging around last year didn't help matters much, either. Word had spread that Lucius was to remain in Azkaban, and Draco's mother had bound herself to her room. The once haughty Malfoy had no one to turn to; most of his friends had left him behind as they moved on from the war. The only one to remain was Theodore Nott, simply because he, too, had nowhere else to go.

Hermione had started dating Draco around New Year's Eve, all while being careful not to ruffle any feathers with the fiery redhead. However, with the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts looming over them all, tensions were high. It had started to seem as though every move Draco made would piss Ron off. This night was no exception.

"I'm going to kill him, Hermione. I swear I am." Ron shouted as she dragged him from the pub after he lunged himself at Draco for giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"No, Ron, you won't."

"He's the reason my brother is dead!" Ron screamed. He heard a loud crack, and the next thing he knew, his face was stinging. Immediately, he brought his hand to his cheek.

"Draco is _not_ the reason for Fred's death! You know that as well as I do, Ronald!"

"Why are you with him, 'Mione? Why him?"

"You're drunk, Ron. Let me get Harry to take you home." As the brunette turned from him to head back inside the pub, he grabbed her wrist.

"'Mione. I still love you. You know that you belong with me."

"Ronald!" Hermione said forcefully, yanking her wrist away. "I belong to _no one_! The truth is, I never was yours. I never loved you the way you wanted me to. I love Draco, and you just need to accept that!" She was met with silence, and turned to find Harry standing there with Draco and Theo not far behind. The three boys had obviously heard the whole argument, and were staring at her with shocked expressions.

"Well. I see we have company."

"What did you say, Hermione?" Draco asked, a questioning note in his voice.

"What do you mean?"

"You said you loved me."

"Oh. That. You know, I'd really rather prefer didn't discuss this in front of them," she stated, nodding in the general direction of Harry, Ron, and Theo. "Let's go back to my place. We can talk about it more there."

"Fine," Draco said, grabbing Hermione's hand as he apparated them to her flat, leaving Theo and Harry to get Ron home once again.

oOoOo

"Talk," Draco demanded as soon as they arrived. "Tell me exactly what you said."

"Well, we had been arguing about whether I still loved him, and-"

"Do you?" he asked angrily, interrupting.

"Would you shut up and let me speak, please?! No. I don't love him. I never did. I love _you_ , Draco. I know this is the first time you've heard it - well, second, actually - but, I do."

"Hermione," Draco said, burying his face in his hands and sinking into the couch. "I can't do this. I'm no good for you."

"What do you mean, no good for me?" she asked, her voice wavering as she timidly sat beside him.

"Exactly what I said. I'm not a good person, Hermione, no matter how much I try to be," he said firmly.

"Are you saying you don't love me?" she asked as tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"No, the exact opposite. I love you too, but I don't think I can stay with you. This is too fast."

"We're perfect for each other!"

"That's what scares me!" he shouted, rising to stand above her. "We're pretty much the same person. This can never last."

"I won't give up without a fight, Draco. I've gone through too much to get you. I've given up Ginny. I'll give up Ron, too, if that's what it takes to keep you here," she yelled as she, too, stood, taking away any edge that he had.

"What about this?" he demands, shoving up her sleeve to reveal the word _mudblood_ carved into her arm. "My aunt did this to you. My own blood."

"I don't care that you were related to Bellatrix! You're not her. You're you. I fear that I'll fall apart without you. You keep the nightmares away. You keep me from falling apart, Draco Malfoy," she said resolutely, as fallen tears stained her cheeks. She grabbed his hand, placing it on her chest. "Can you feel this? This is the beat of my heart. It beats because of you. It beats _for_ you."

"I can't do this right now, Hermione. I need to go," he said, wrenching his hand away from hers and apparating away, leaving the witch standing there sobbing alone.

oOoOo

 _This is gospel for the vagabonds, ne'er-do-wells, insufferable bastards..._

December 13, 2005

It had been almost a year since she had last seen Draco, making nice when they ran into each other while Christmas shopping in Diagon Alley last year. When she crossed paths with him again this year, he had made the bar his home, much like a vagabond. Sitting down next to him, she called the bartender over.

"Just a Firewhiskey for me, please," she told him, taking off her scarf. "And how are you?" she asked the blond man beside her as the barman placed her order on the bar top, which she quickly downed.

Draco scoffed at her. "How do you think I am?"

"Excuse you! You're the one who left. I stayed where I was. I didn't leave the flat for almost a week, waiting for you to return. And you have the nerve to try and blame me? You insufferable bastard!" she exclaimed, starting to gather her belongings.

"Hermione," he said, grabbing her wrist. Unlike the scene with Ron a year and half before, she didn't pull away from his touch. "I made a mistake. I realized that as soon as I left."

"Then why didn't you come back?" she asked, the tears flowing freely.

"You know me. I don't like to admit I was wrong. But I was. I love you. So much."

"I don't know how you can expect me to trust you anymore, Draco." Her own words cut her heart like a knife, the pain in his eyes jabbed the blade further in as she bit her lip.

Draco's features fell at her tone, pulling his eyes to the surface of the bar in contemplation, knowing his own actions had caused her to question him. "I don't expect you to, not right now. Let me prove it to you. Meet me tomorrow for dinner? Please?" he begged.

Hermione could feel her resolve cracking. "I suppose," she said as he let go of her arm. "I'll see you then."

Draco watched as she left the bar, fiddling with the item in his pocket, thinking about how his life could change tomorrow.

oOoOo

 _Don't try to sleep through the end of the world and bury me alive, 'cause I won't give up without a fight._

June 5, 2009

Draco had done it. He had captured his witch. It was never easy between them, but they fought through everything together. Theodore and Pansy had started dating after being the best man and maid of honour at their wedding, and were now expecting their first child. Hermione and Draco were two down. As he laid contently in bed, he thought about the events that had brought her back to him.

oOoOo

As he sat there, his mind raced nervously. " _What if she doesn't come? What if she does? What if she says yes? What if she says no? What if…"_ His thoughts were interrupted by the sight of her walking in. As his breath caught in his throat, she spotted him and started walking over.

"Hello," she stated simply.

Draco's voice still hadn't returned. He nodded and gestured for her to sit, which she did, looking at him curiously.

"Well, are you just going to sit there and stare at me, or are you going to say something?" she said, sounding annoyed.

"I'm sorry," he managed to squeak out, staring awkwardly at the table.

"Sorry about what?" she demanded.

"About...well, about everything. I'm sorry for how I treated you, and for not coming back. Merlin, I made the biggest mistake of my life that night. I can only hope that you'll forgive me."

"You're going to have to do more than that, Draco. You're going to have to prove to me that you mean it."

"Well…" he said, starting to rise from his chair. "Hopefully this will help prove how much I love you." He started to bend down on one knee.

"Don't you dare, Draco Malfoy!" Hermione screamed. "I swear, if you propose right now…"

Draco took pause. "Why shouldn't I?" he asked her.

"Because! Proposing isn't how you solve a problem!" She shook her head. "Just, no," she said as the blond stayed frozen, halfway kneeling. "I will start to date you again. BUT - no proposals. Not right now, at least. Promise me, Draco."

Draco stood, his muscles aching after being in such an awkward position, even just for that short period of time. "So - what do you propose we do then?"

Hermione pretended to think for a minute, as she could see that every second seemed to pain Draco a bit further. The agony in his eyes was evident by the time she spoke. "We date," she said simply. "If, after a year, you still feel this way, then we can discuss moving further."

Draco sighed, exasperated. "Nothing is ever easy with you, is it?"

"Nope," she stated, smiling.

"Fine. We'll do it your way."

oOoOo

The memory of that night made Draco smile. That had been the first night of the rest of his life, and with her in his life, he no longer had to deal with the fear of falling apart.


	9. Chapter 9 - The Missing Piece

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 1,864

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Story Title: The Missing Piece

Rating: T

Genre: Drama

Your Fanfic AND Facebook Name: _-Undisclosed at this time-_

Pairing: George Weasley / Parvati Patil

Summary: When a life is taken from you, you go to the dark side. But with George and Parvati, they realized the piece they were missing was in front of them the whole time.

* * *

 **The Missing Piece**

Parvati sits up from the bench she was resting on. Off and on all night, the events of the previous evening kept playing in her head like she was watching a Muggle movie. The last clear thing she remembered was fighting back to back with her sister, Padma. The Death Eater her sister was dueling shot a spell and Padma didn't block it in time. She felt her sister drop, but figured she would get back up. Harry had taught them well when they had Dumbledore's Army meetings. But when her sister didn't jump back up and continue battling, her heart dropped, and she flung a spell at the man she was fighting. She didn't even remember which spell she had used, but didn't care. She turned around and flung herself at Padma.

"Padma! Wake up. You're fine. You're okay. Open your eyes. You can't leave me!" Parvati screamed and cradled her sisters head. Blood began trickling from her mouth, and her eyes glossed to a lifeless hue. Parvati felt tears stain her face, but felt numb. She cradled her sister, looking around. No One was in sight. It was quiet, but dusty.

Parvati sighed and peered out to the debris around her. People began to come into focus, and were recovering the bodies of the fallen. With a sadness in her heart, she stood up.

Parvati climbed down the bench she was on and came to a halt when she saw her sister. Her dead sister. All alone. Just…. lying there. She looked like she was sleeping, but Parvati knew better. She knew she would never hear her laugh again. Unless _she_ laughed. They weretwins, after all. Tears started streaming from her face, landing like crystals breaking as they hit the floor. She sat down, picking up Padma's head, stroking her hair. Her body was already cold. She knew she had to let her go. She had to leave. Help gather bodies, and help bury them…. and then leave. Far away from Hogwarts. Far away from memories of _her._

Parvati took off her sweater and made a pillow for Padma's head. Laying her gently on it and covering her entire body with a sheet that was lying next to her, Parvati stood up, and left The Great Hall, in search for more of her friends.

oOoOo

After finding a few dead bodies that belonged to Death Eaters, Parvati needed a break. She walked the Viaduct and stopped at one of the gargoyles. Placing her head against the cool stone, she started sobbing. After what felt like forever, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Jolting, she turned with widened eyes. _George Weasley_. The smile from his perfectly chiseled face, gone. She then remembered, with guilt and despair, that he too had lost a twin last night. If anyone was to understand how she was feeling, it would be him. Padma. Fred. Together. _Dead_.

It was like a taunting nursery rhyme, rolling over in her mind repeatedly as she peered up at George through damp lashes. Only Padma knew how she felt about this Weasley twin. Only Padma knew about the funny mirror she found. Well, Padma and Professor Dumbledore. The secrets. All the secrets.

Parvati's heart started racing, and the thought of her twin escaped her mind when she realized George was crying too. He sat down, back to the gargoyle and held his head in his hands. His shoulder started shaking like a mini earthquake and Parvati's heart broke.

"George?"

She sat down beside him and placed her hand on his knee. He didn't say anything, but his shoulders went still. He looked up at her and his hazel eyes met her chocolate brown ones. He reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"We should go help find more bodies. Get this over with so we can go home with our families." His voice was as dull as Professor Binn's History of Magic lessons. _Dead._ His twin is dead. _Your_ twin is dead. _Family._ She had nobody left.

With a sigh, she stood up, getting the hint that he changed his mind about being around her. He probably realized the same thing she did. That she wanted someone to take her into their arms so she could cry for days. _For years_. But they didn't want to admit it.

Walking away, Parvati looked back. George was gone. Unsure of his whereabouts, she kept walking, her mind questioning if the encounter happened at all. When she met up with Professor McGonagall, the professor told her they had found all the bodies they could, and that she was helping the other teachers prepare to give them a proper burial.

"Yes Miss Patil. Even the Death Eaters."

She went to the bench where she left her sister, to see that she had been moved. Her heart started thumping, and she was sure it was going to explode out of her chest. She couldn't see; her eyes were going blurry and dark. Her chest. Oh my god, it was being crushed. And her throat. She clutched it, and felt her knees hit the ground. Gasping, she couldn't breathe. She banged the floor and heard wailing.

After what felt like an eternity, she felt strong arms around her. She knew it was a man. She felt this person shaking and she struggled to get out of his grasp. He held tighter. And _he_ started crying too. Parvati stopped fighting and let the weight of his arms and chest consume her. She felt her breathing calm and her eyes finally started to unblur. Red hair and hazel eyes started coming into view. _George_! She stiffened, and he dropped his arms, tears streaming his cheeks. She noticed everyone was looking at them. Feeling her face grow hot, she looked away and saw someone pick up Padma. She runs over.

"Please. This is my twin. I'll take her." The man nods and leaves respectively. In a daze, she picked up her sister, not noticing, or caring, how heavy she was, _dead weight,_ she took her to where they were going to bury everyone.

Padma loved Hogwarts. After their parents died during the war, a few months before The Battle of Hogwarts, Padma said she never wanted to leave. Parvati was determined to have it where Padma didn't _have_ to leave. She will be buried here. Finally at peace.

Parvati sat for a while, flashbacks about her sister coursing through her mind. She remembered teasing Padma about having to go to the Yule Ball with Ron Weasley; how embarrassed she was with his dress robes.

 _Parvati laughed and turned to_ _her sister. "It's not that bad, Padma. At least you have a date!"_

 _Padma huffed and pushed her sister. "Says you! You're going with_ _ **Harry Potter!**_ _"_

"Parvati?"

The voice brought her out of her daydream. _George Weasley._ As their eyes met, she felt hers widen, and her skin grow hot, like she was encased in flames. She tried to control her breathing by inhaling through her nose and exhaling out of her mouth. She swore he could hear it, but tried acting like nothing was wrong.

"George. What are you doing here?" He reached out his hand and wiped a tear from her face.

"I want to be dead too." The laughter that usually resonated when he spoke was gone. Her heart broke.

"Honestly, I want to be dead as well. I can't live without my twin. She wasn't… _isn't…_ just another sibling. She's the other part of my soul. We were supposed to be here with each other until we took our last breath! _Together!"_ Parvati stood up. "Padma was the smart one. The strong one. Why did she have to die instead of me?"

She could feel her face growing redder by the second. She wasn't just hurt, she was angry. She took a step towards George. She knew he was hurting too, but the rush of emotion she was feeling made her seem like she was going to go insane. She had to let it out. She _needed_ to let it out. George just stood there, his face as still as stone. Like he was chiseled where he stood.

" _I wish I would have died instead of my twin."_ The selfishness of that sentence stung Parvati as soon as it left her lips. George took a step back, and anger flashed his own face for a split second, and then there he was, perfectly still.

"I wouldn't wish this emotional pain on anyone, let alone my twin. I would have rather died _alongside_ him than take his place." A tear ran down George's cheek, and the next thing they both knew, Parvati had her head buried in his chest. She was hugging him. She looked up at him through her chocolate brown eyes, as he lightly pushed her away. Still holding her shoulders, he bent down and lightly pecked her on her lips. She froze and he turned and walked away.

Parvati stood in her place, unsure of what came over her. What possessed her to move her feet and chase after him. All she knew was she needed to feel his lips again. She needed him to feel complete. He had lost a twin too. They were so opposite of each other. Being together. Being _with_ each other…. It would be like they were whole again. Parvati rounded a corner. George had met up with his family. All the bodies from the Battle had been found, and were getting ready for their burials.

"George!" Was that _her_ voice shouting his name? He looked at her. He looked at his parents. He looked back at her, and she ran towards him. She looked up at him when they met, and stood on the tip of her toes. Their lips met, and Parvati's heart exploded. Electricity sparking throughout her body, she felt George's hands wrap into her hair. Finally, after years of crushing on this man. She lost her twin, her soulmate. But who knew there would be someone else for her, in a different manner?

oOoOo

George and Parvati sat with each other during the burials; neither spoke, nor did they have to. They sat together, though untouched physically, they were entwined together as they grieved for their lost siblings. George and Parvati knew that everything would be okay from here on out. There would be hard days. There would be good days. And one day, hopefully there would be great days.

Though their time had been but twenty four hours, they knew in their hearts everything would be alright. In their hearts, where they held the memory of their lost halves. It was as though something, or _someone,_ was pulling them together to fill the void, the missing piece to the puzzle they thought to have lost forever.


	10. Chapter 10 - When One Door Closes

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 7,099

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Story Title: When One Door Closes...

Rating: T

Genre: Romance + Comedy

Your Fanfic AND Facebook Name: _-Undisclosed at this time-_

Pairing: Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger

Summary: Seven years after the war Hermione has ended her marriage with Ron and is working in one of her mum's friend's bookshops when Draco Malfoy comes in to get a book. They reconcile their old differences and build a relationship.

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 **When One Door Closes...**

Hermione Granger had become quite used to the press following her around since the war, what she wasn't used to, was them shouting at her asking why her marriage had imploded only seven years after it began.

Ronald had rushed into things after the battle had ended and had been trying to bring something cheerful into his family's life after Fred's death, convincing Hermione into marriage straight away. She should have known rushing into things wasn't the right move to make, and that the result would end badly.

But she went along with it and had been happy up until the day she found her parents. Ron didn't want her to have anything to do with them, proclaiming she was a part of _his_ family now and she didn't need anyone else.

It had shocked her to no end, never seeming like he would be the controlling type, but you never truly know someone until they show their true colours.

Now she was struggling to keep afloat and she wasn't sure what she was going to do. She had moved back in with her parents, working in a bookstore because she couldn't fathom going to the same training sessions as her ex-husband.

She was currently at work, sitting in one of the back corners reading Cinderella, thankful her boss allowed her to pass the time by reading. As long as there were no customers in the store. He was a friend of her mother's and father's, and had offered the job to her until she could return to training. She would stay for only a few months, avoiding the idea she could and may run into Ron at the ministry.

It had been quiet for hours in the store, and was almost closing time when the front bell sounded to alert her someone had walked in. She marked her place so she could come back to her book later, stood up and walked through the store until she saw the back of a man with platinum blond hair, wearing jeans of pure sin.

She cleared her throat. "Can I help you, sir?"

He turned and her mouth went agape as she took in the man standing in front of her, looking like he had stepped straight out of a GQ magazine. He was wearing muggle clothes and was wearing them _quite_ well.

"Granger? Is that really you? I thought you would be working at the Ministry by now?"

She looked down at her toes, examining the floor a moment before looking up at him through long lashes. "I was meant to be, but after everything, myself and Ron found ourselves in the same training class and I couldn't stay there in anymore."

"Oh that's right I forgot you and the Weasel had split. I haven't really been following the news lately," he said coolly.

She gave him a look and said, "Really Malfoy? Resorting to childhood names?"

"I suppose that is a childhood name, but it sticks you know? We weren't exactly close to each other. We were on opposite sides of the war if you remember, and didn't exactly have much of a chance to reconcile." His words were smooth as he spoke.

"That's right, you and your parents disappeared until the trial was called. I was a witness if you recall, shocking the Ministry when I said you didn't deserve to go to Azkaban." She said, using his own smooth tone in response.

Draco smirked. "I never got the chance to thank you for that, by the way. You saved me a great deal of torment and allowed a second chance to make my life better."

"And what is it you have you done to make your life _better_?" She asked him, folding her arms over her chest.

"I'm actually about to finish healer training I started about four years ago. Before that, I helped build an orphanage for people like my little cousin."

She expected him to brag, but he sounded slightly modest, if humbled, by all he had done since the war.

"What have you done with yourself Granger? Besides marrying the Weasel?" He said, mimicking her stance with crossed arms.

Hermione's brows shot up, not expecting him to inquire about her life now. She hesitated briefly, biting her lip.

"Well, I was an apprentice to become a magical lawyer, planning to help fight for werewolves rights. In honour of Remus. He was a good man and had a big impact on me."

"I was quite sorry to hear I would never get to know my cousin and her family. I had reached out to my Aunt and cousin Teddy, but it's not the same hearing all of these stories of Tonks when I never had the opportunity to really get to know her." His expression softened as he looked down, examining the divots in the floor.

"She was a good woman. She helped me out a lot when I was about to start my fifth year and sixth years. It was comforting to know she would be there to protect me in fights. She just seemed to always have my back." She said, appearing as though to be lost in the memory of her fallen friend.

Draco studied Hermione's face: she was relaxed, almost peaceful, and he felt a smile tug at the side of his lips. "She sounded like a person I would have loved to have in my life now."

"Tonks was certainly someone to be around when you needed a laugh or someone to protect you."

He nodded, contemplating her words. "So, what are you doing now?"

"I'm about to close the shop. You're lucky you came in when you did!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have closed on time seeing as you had your nose in a book. If I hadn't come in, you would probably be here well into the night. You should just thank me now for rescuing you." Amusement flared his tone.

Hermione laughed and shook her head. "Rescued me? That's funny, I hardly see how you rescued me."

"I surely _did_ rescue you from a night in this store. When you close, would you like to go get coffee with me? There's a nice little coffee shop up the road." He flashed her a smirk.

"Sounds like a plan," she replied. "Let me close the cash register out and we can go."

Draco stood watching her count the muggle notes and couldn't help but notice how she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. Before long, she had finished up and was headed to the door. "Well, are we going?"

"Yes, let's go and have this coffee," he gestured for her to go first and shut the door behind him.

The walk to the coffee shop was quiet, both preferring their own company.

Sitting down at a small table for two, Draco looked over the menu as the waitress came to take their order. "What would you like?"

"I'd like a vanilla latte with an extra shot of espresso in a mug, please?"

Hermione's eyes shot up and locked with his. "I'll have the same, thanks."

"So, I remember your parents had been sent away at the beginning of the war, how'd you return their memories and bring them back here?" Draco asked.

"I actually had help from a witch at St. Mungos. She was in Australia after the war and saw them, and instantly called me to tell me where they were. When I arrived she helped me return their memories through a number of complicated spells."

"How did they react when they found out what you did?"

"They were angry and disappointed for the first year or two, but then started to understand the reasoning after they talked to the Weasleys."

"Did they take long to bring you back to their house?"

"No, after they forgave me for what I had done they allowed me to move back in straight away." Hermione's eyes began to wander as she shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry I brought it up, but I want to get to know you better." He paused, regaining her focus before continuing in a soft tone. "I want to reconcile and atone for what I did. You were one of the nicest people, and being your friend would be amazing."

"Don't apologize, I don't mind. I think friends _should_ have an understanding of one another's worst and best moments." She gave a weak smile. "So, what did you do after your family ran from the battle? It was never truly mentioned in the trial."

"I laid low for a while, then started my potion mastery under a guise. I soon figured out that wasn't what I wanted; that I wanted to help in a _different_ way. I stuck to my mastery though because then I could be a healer with the clearance to make any potion. I made it a point to learn the wolfsbane potion so if I ever came across someone that is afflicted, I could help them for free."

The waitress came over and placed their cups on the table. "Anything else I can get you while I'm here?"

"No, thank you, we are perfectly fine." Draco's eyes never left Hermione as he politely waved the waitress away.

Hermione went silent, looking down into her coffee cup, thinking about how different things were between them now: the tension of age was gone, they were conversing easily, and she couldn't help thinking how she would want to hang out with him again.

"What's going on in that brilliant head of yours?" His features softened and the sides of his mouth twitched to reveal a genuine _and handsome_ smile.

Without thinking or filtering her thoughts, she shot back, "I was just thinking how easy conversation is with you now, and was contemplating whether it would be too forward to ask you to hang out again. I could use another friend."

"It wouldn't be too forward seeing how I was going to ask you to have coffee again tomorrow evening."

"That sounds rather nice."

"Great! Friends then." his smile grew wider.

"Yes... friends."

Hermione briefly watched Draco's back as they left, then slowly walked to her parent's home; a smile faintly brushed upon her lips. The walk wasn't far, and before she knew it she was heeding to the front door, her mother waiting in its frame with a knowing grin spread across her features.

"Coffee with a good looking man at this hour? Absolutely _scandalous,_ " she teased, crossing her arms over her chest with brows raised.

"How'd you know?"

"Sarah called as soon as you entered the cafe. She mentioned your company being somewhat of the _devilishly handsome_ sort and that you two were there for over an hour. Planning to meet up again tomorrow, are we?" her mother's eyes were swimming caperly.

"Small towns! I really don't like them, you know that, right?" Hermione shrugged.

"Yes, but I happen to like them for this _very_ reason. Now, come and tell me all about this handsome mystery man while I finish up with dinner." The smile on her mother's face could compare to that of a small child in a candy store. Hermione rolled her eyes, breathing a laugh as she followed her mother to the kitchen.

"Mum…. he's _not_ a mystery man. Do you remember me telling you about Draco Malfoy?"

"Isn't he the one who used to bully you?"

"Yes, but he's … _changed_. Since the war he's been doing everything in his power to make up for his past." her cheeks flushed as she spoke of him.

Her dad took this opportunity to pop in. "If he hurts you in anyway, he will have to deal with _me_!"

"We are only friends, dad! Well, trying to be friends. It's going to take a lot of work from both of us to get there."

"Okay dear, be careful though." Her father's tone was defensive, but soft, knowing he was only looking out for her.

"Of course dad, now can we drop this and eat? I had a long day and want to have a nice bath before bed."

They exchanged looks and nodded, her mother preparing the salad and chicken. They talked about the bookstore, the dentist business and touched a bit more about what Draco had done to repent.

Hermione went to bed that night thinking about how Draco had come back into her life.

 **oooOooo**

Hermione had difficulty holding her focus at work the next day, waiting for the store to close so she could meet Draco. The night before had been the most riveting conversation she had been involved in for quite some time; his intelligence intrigued her, and they had a lot of similar opinions about things.

Customers had been commenting on her distraction periodically during her shift and she had apologized profusely, saying she had other things on her mind. She ensured them she would leave things at home that weren't work related from now on.

Aside from her countless apologies, the day was almost over, and she was sat back in her corner after her last customer had checked out. Book in hand, she found herself stuck on a page, reading the same paragraph repeatedly for almost an hour.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, she made to stand, aiming to close the store, and nearly jumped at the sound of the bell above the door. Disappointed, as this meant she was going to be late for her meeting with Draco, she stepped to the front of the shop to help with the new customer.

"Granger, any chance I can steal you away a few minutes early?" Draco walked towards her with a smile on his face and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let me close the till off and I'll be right to leave. Sorry, I should've thought to do it sooner."

"It's okay, I'll glance through the book you've been so intrigued in the last two nights."

She watched him curiously as he walked to her chair and pick up her book. No one, save for her parents, had ever been interested in her reading choices. Smiling to herself as she counted the till, she was glad she had said yes to being friends.

"I was thinking we should try a different coffee tonight, Granger. It's sort of a thing I do; I don't have the same selection two nights in a row."

"What shall we try tonight, then?" Trying not to laugh as she counted the last of the notes.

"I was thinking an Italian blend tonight: it's rich and has a nice bite to it," He gave her a wink.

"We can't get that at the coffee shop here. Where do you propose we go, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Well, _Miss Granger,_ I believe there is a nice and new little Italian coffee shop in Diagon Alley we could try." Draco held out his arm for her, escorting her to the apparation spot.

"Would you really be fine with being seen with me in the wizarding world?" Her brows were raised, and she troubled to keep the shock from her eyes.

"Yes, I would be perfectly fine with being seen with you. It's why I offered after all."

"Okay then, let's do it." Smiling up at Draco, she truly believed they were on their way to being good friends. He seemed to have really changed since the war, and if she introduced him to her family they would see it too.

She had lost so many friends over the years and didn't want to pass up a good friendship because he was on the _other side_.

"Before we apparate and are swarmed by the press, have lunch with me tomorrow. "

"I'd be fine with Friday, it's my day off."

"Okay, Friday it is," then he apparated, holding onto her arm as they were both temporarily pulled into the darkness. It was as Draco predicted, for as soon as they were released and stepped into the alley, they were surrounded by reporters and people staring.

 **oooOooo**

Draco had been planning the meeting in the bookstore for weeks, waiting until Hermione was alone so he could get her to agree to coffee. This was the first step in his plan.

He wanted to gain her trust, enough so she would become friends and hopefully want to build for a more _deeper_ relationship.

He was currently in the Ministry, walking toward the exit after his yearly mental assessment to make sure he wasn't dabbling in Dark Magic again when he saw Potter, stepping out of the Floo.

He deliberately put himself in the Golden Boy's path and stood his ground. Harry looked up from his phone when he bumped into Draco and scowled slightly before schooling his features.

"Potter."

" _Ferret_ ," Harry responded with a hint of disdain in his voice.

"Really, Potter? Still calling me that ridiculous nickname? One that came about because of a _Death Eater_ no less. I didn't know you had it in you." said Draco in a feigned shock expression.

"There's a lot of things that you _don't know_ , Malfoy." Harry spat back.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean? Is that a threat from an auror that one day wants to lead the department? I could talk to someone and deal with this now if you like? I feel threatened." His usual smirk took over his features.

"Of course it's not a threat. I have to go now, more important business to take care of."

"Okay, _Wonder Boy_ , I'll say hello to Granger for you, shall I?" He turned his back to him, counting down in his head until Potter reacted.

"Ye… wait a second! Did you say Hermione? Why would _you_ see her before I do?"

"Oh… I'm meeting her for lunch right _now_ actually, then again after her shift for coffee this evening," Draco curled his lips into a smirk.

"Stay away from her, Malfoy!" Harry warned, taking a step towards Draco.

"Oh, now I know _that_ was a threat. But it's not likely that I will, Potter."

 **oooOooo**

Draco enters the restaurant, perusing the tables, phone in hand. He had received a text from Hermione that she was there and waiting. He knew she would be somewhere private so the press wouldn't bother them.

A waitress came over to him, smile on her face. "Right this way, Mr. Malfoy, we've been waiting for you."

He followed the older woman to a small room off the back of the main dining space and saw a table for two with Hermione sitting, facing the door.

This was a common thing with her, having her back to a wall, and he noticed she did this everywhere they went. His guess was that of a trust issue: something that had come up from being on the run all that time. He could only imagine as he, too, still had troubles. His troubles, however, were dealing with Death Eaters directly, not hiding from them.

They weren't too bad, the Death Eaters. For the most part, everyone kept their eyes down to avoid any unnecessary attention, otherwise someone would decide to fling a curse their way. Hermione had to _constantly_ worry someone was going to find her and hand her over directly into the fray.

When he had seen them brought into the manor by the snatchers, his heart had fallen. He wasn't meant to have to rat on people he knew, he hadn't really been into it when Voldemort had ordered him to kill Dumbledore. It wasn't fair for a child to be asked to do something like that. It was then that he had regretted following in his father's footsteps.

"Are you okay? You've been staring off into space for five minutes. Not to mention you're still standing. We can go somewhere else if you aren't comfortable here?" Hermione looked into his eyes, trying to see what he had been thinking.

"I'm fine, work is challenging that's all. How's your day been?" He sat down and looked over the menu, avoiding her eyes.

"Boring. There have been hardly any customers and the book I was reading was bought so now I have to track something else down to read." She allowed the subject change, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable.

"Do you want some help choosing something to read? I'm sure I could manage sparing some time out of my busy schedule tonight to come by and help you." He acted as though it was going to be a big sacrifice and he smiled at her.

"Oh only if it's not too much trouble for the privileged pureblood." Her tone was that of mocking playfully.

He burst into laughter. "Thanks, Granger, this is exactly what I needed to get out of my funk."

"Anytime, but to answer to your question I would love to have your company while looking for a new book. I won't lie to you, it's a difficult task and could take a while. I'm very particular."

He smirked in response. "Okay, I'll come straight after work." The waitress came in and took their orders, leaving them be as they waited for their food; talking about small parts of their day had them laughing for the rest of their break.

 **oooOooo**

Harry had sent Hermione an owl two days ago, urging they speak immediately. She had an idea of what the topic could be, so she made him wait. She expected another owl soon as she hadn't given him a response to meet up yet, but she hadn't the energy to care.

It would be a predictable conversation. One where Harry would tell her not to trust Draco and that he had something up his sleeve. It was always the same: if Harry didn't like someone, they couldn't be trusted.

Hermione was currently reorganizing some of the shelves in the store as some customers didn't often care where they set the books down if they weren't planning to purchase them. The shelves were almost in order when the bell to over the door chimed. Excitement rushed her for a millisecond, but then calmed herself, knowing it wouldn't be Draco at this hour. Besides, they were going to see each other for dinner.

"I won't be a second," she shouted towards the front of the store.

As she turned to head down an aisle, she came face to face with very pissed off looking Harry.

"You didn't respond to my owl and when I rang your parent's house, they said you were here so I decided to pay you a visit."

"What do you need, Harry?" Raising an eyebrow at him, she walked straight past him to the front counter.

"You need to watch out for Malfoy. He can't be trusted. I _know_ he has something planned-"

"Yes he does," She spun to face him, her curls whipping the air about her face, "Becoming my friend. He's changed Harry. Don't try to make something out of nothing."

"I don't trust him." His green eyes gave her a pleading look.

"You don't trust anyone but Ron around me, and you need to get over the fact we didn't work out."

"How can I? When you go running to the Ferret instead of me?"

"Don't call him Ferret, he has a name. It's Draco, in case you were wondering. But you tried to convince me to stay with Ronald, I couldn't do it anymore. I was becoming so depressed."

Harry rolled his eyes. "You may be all buddy buddy with Malfoy now, but that doesn't mean I'm going to be. Don't let your guard down, Mione."

"I've always got my guard up: it comes from fighting in a war when I should of have been enjoying my teen years." She was still bitter over the fact they were kids when they fought for their lives, and hardly any of the adults sworn to protect them did their job.

"I'll be watching, I can't leave you with him without knowing that you are okay."

"You dare spy on me, Harry, and you will see a side of me you wish you hadn't."

"Be careful Mione." Harry turned around and walked out of the bookstore, leaving Hermione wondering how her friend could be so daft not to see that Draco had changed and wasn't the same prat they once knew from the war.

 **oooOooo**

Draco had asked Hermione to accompany him to Hogsmeade to help him pick out some dress robes for a ball at the ministry; it was to honor the memory of all who had fallen in the war. At first, she wasn't going to go because her father had really been on her back about spending so much time with Draco and ignoring her other friends. The pleading look her new friend had given her, though, was hard to resist. Not to mention he said if she didn't go with him he would have Pansy go instead.

That was the turning point in her decision. She hated the pug-nosed girl and wouldn't put Draco through the torture of having to deal with her for an undetermined time.

She wanted to look her best without looking as though she was trying too hard; slipping into her black skinny jeans, a green sweater and black knee high boots. She finished off the ensemble with a green beanie. Wanting to be comfortable, she didn't want to wear her robes today so if they spent hours on deciding, she wouldn't be stressing.

Once ready, Hermione walked to the apparation point and apparated to the outskirts of the village, where they had agreed to meet.

Draco was already waiting for her and perused her up and down, swallowing hard. "You clean up nice, Granger, let's get this done, shall we?" Draco offered her his arm, which she graciously took, and they walked towards the shop together.

Hermione was fixated on the robe shop in front of her, psyching herself up for spending hours in there, she didn't see someone walking in the opposite direction and was bumped slightly. Turning quickly, she instantly grew pale.

"Ronald." The tension in the air was unbearable and all she could do was stand there awkwardly.

"I heard you were with the Ferret, but I never believed it." Ron had a scowl written over his face as he locked eyes with Draco.

"I'd watch what you say, Weasel. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were still following old prejudice, and that wouldn't be very becoming of a ministry employee now would it?" Draco's smirk fell perfectly into place.

"Is that a threat, Malfoy?"

"Take it as you will, Weasley."

"Would you both stop? We're here for some shopping, Ron. Nothing more." Her hands were on her hips, her impatience at their banter known.

Draco placed his hand on the small of Hermione's back. "Yeah let's go, Granger, this isn't what I had in mind for _us_ today."

"Sure, go ahead. I'd be careful around him Mione."

"I think I know who I should be careful around, _Ronald._ " She turned and continued towards the robe shop, knowing Draco wouldn't stay behind with Ron if you paid him.

"You alright, Granger?" He looked down at her with concern in his pale eyes.

Smiling up at him, "Yeah I'm fine. Thank you for not causing a scene out there. I would hate for our day to be ruined because of him. Let's put it out of our minds shall we?"

"Sure thing, Granger. You can admire the view of me in some new robes."

 **oooOooo**

Draco had been wrestling with himself for weeks, and had come close to asking Hermione on a date so many times, but then would change direction at the last second.

Today he wasn't going to back out, he was going to walk into the bookstore and ask her; he needed to. Hogsmeade had really shown him that if he didn't make his move soon, she might find someone who was worthy of her affections and he would lose her.

They had gotten fairly close to each other and he hoped she felt the same, but you could never tell with Hermione; she held her emotions and feelings close to her.

Normally he was confident about how someone felt about him but with Hermione he struggled interacting with her in the same debonair manner.

Bookstore in front of him, he took a deep breath and released it. Opening the door, he walked in and immediately noticed the lack of customers, knowing Hermione would be in her spot near the back. Smiling to himself, he found her engrossed in a book.

He cleared his throat. "Granger, anyone home?"

Jumping slightly, she looked up. "How did I not hear you come in?"

"I'd say it'd have something to do with how engaged you are in that book. Is that the one we picked out the other day?" With this part he was fine, conversing with her over trivial things didn't trip him up.

When he tried to ask her out on a proper date, however, _that_ was a different story.

Hermione's features lit up as she began to ramble on about the book. Draco smirked and she blushed, realizing she had maundered, and made to stand. "What are you doing here so early? It's not even lunch yet."

Looking down at his feet, Draco gathered his courage "I was wondering if…" His words trailed off.

"You were wondering?" she prompted him with a quirked brow.

"I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner with me."

"Of course I'd like to, Draco, why are you so nervous about asking me to dinner?" His peculiar behavior left her confused.

"Not like we usually do, Granger, a dinner date. I'm asking if you want to go on a date with me?" The words tumbling out finally.

Smiling shyly up at him she nodded. "Yes, a date would be nice."

"Okay, I'll pick you up on Friday at seven." Relief washed over him and he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Where are we going?"

"Now that will remain a surprise until the night, no questions will be answered on the matter." His confidence gaining. "I have to get back to work, but I'll see you for coffee later, yes?"

Hermione responded with a nod and he left with an added bounce in his gate. Apparating to Diagon Alley he went to Blaise's restaurant and asked for the table he reserved for Friday night at seven.

The date had to go perfect.

 **oooOooo**

Hermione hadn't thought before accepting; she didn't think of how it would feel. When Draco asked her on a date, she had agreed within seconds.

They had become close over the few months they had reunited, and it was the logical next step, but why was she feeling guilty for accepting?

She was surprised in her reaction to accepting so quickly, and found herself questioning her own motives. Was she eager because she was truly feeling something for Draco? Or was it merely to get back at Ron after the run in with him a few weeks back?

She was currently sitting on the edge of her bed, disputing every decision since her and Ron had ended things. Draco had come back into her life, and she contemplated their relationship thoughtfully.

Hermione thought about their interactions over the months and how he looked at her, remembering her musings of how handsome he was and how he had changed for the better. Draco offered assistance to all who needed it, and didn't care how much money was used to help the orphans of war as long as they were taken care of and had a small bit of happiness to look forward to in their lives.

She really hoped she could keep her inner self inflictions under wraps, and allow her to enjoy her date. Nerves tugged at her as this was the first _real_ date she had gone on. Ron was never one for a romantic meal out, always looking to save money because of how he was raised.

This was what she wanted. It wasn't to get back at Ron and if it was, she would have to look deeper in herself and what she had become. She would see how the date went and then she would have her answer. If at any time she thought of how this would really get under Ron's skin, she would know where to go from there..

 **oooOooo**

Friday night, Hermione was still trying to decide on the perfect outfit for her date with Draco. She had all of her clothes laid out on the bed and she had tried them all, checking in the mirror to help her decision.

As she was about to go back through all of her outfits for a third time, her mother walked in, holding a bag out in her hand. Hermione eyed her a moment, taking the bag into her own grasp.

"Your father and I were going to wait until closer to your birthday to give you this, but I think it will be perfect for tonight."

Hermione smiled wide. "Thanks mum!" She wrapped her arms around her mother, then quickly jumped in the bath. She slid into her parent's gift: a little black cocktail dress made of satin and pulled out her wand. She styled her hair into long hanging curls that rolled down her back.

Taking one last look before slipping her black, glittery high heels on, she surmised that this was perfect, it clung to her curves perfectly, showing off her figure. The strapless number displayed her shoulders, the fabric falling above her knees. She grabbed her jacket and walked down stairs as the doorbell rang.

Draco wouldn't allow her to meet him at the restaurant because of it being against his chivalrous manners. She opened the door wide and found Draco standing with his mouth agape.

"Draco?" Shifting from one foot to the other, nervous under his scrutiny.

He shook his head, coming out of his stupor. "Sorry, you look absolutely gorgeous, Hermione."

"Thank you, you're not half bad yourself." She teased, trying to settle her nerves.

"Shall we head off? We have a reservation."

"Sure." Hermione grabbed her clutch and walked out the door. They reached the apparation point and Draco pulled her close, having to hold her tight because he wouldn't tell her where they were going until they got there.

When they were released from the squeezing sensation, she found they were at the newest high end restaurant in Diagon Alley. She wondered how he had gotten a reservation so quickly.

"Blaise is the owner. It's one of several. He holds a table for his friends for special occasions."

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I could see it written all over your face."

They walked inside and up to a server to seat them, it wasn't long before they gained everyone's attention.

Hermione had become used to the staring over the years, it had died off a bit, but what could she really expect when she was with the Slytherin Prince. They would always get stares no matter where they went.

And how could people not? They were from opposite sides of the war, even if it had ended years ago.

She followed behind him, admiring how good he looked in his black dress slacks and his white button up shirt. Everything he wore he looked good in, but Draco in formal clothes was _hot_.

Once seated Blaise came out to serve them personally, saying he would rather they be served by the best than have someone gawking and fussing over them and disturbing their evening.

"Feel free to order anything off the menu. I don't have a problem paying the money for something you would enjoy."

Hermione noticed there were no prices next to the dishes which could only mean everything on the menu was overpriced. If she was to come here on her own she would have taken most of her savings from Gringotts.

Blaise took their order and swiftly rushed off to ensure their meals were properly prepared.

Draco, facing with his back to the windows, s didn't see the press outside watching and taking subtle photos. It were as though a barrier was placed about the restaurant as they appeared to be unable to move closer to one another than they already were.

"Ignore them, they won't go away anytime soon, but Blaise placed us so as far back from them so they wouldn't be right in our faces." He caught her eyes to make his point clear.

The meals arrived shortly after and they ate in casual silence, preferring to savour their meals.

"Do you want dessert?" Draco asked pushing away his plate.

"I haven't got much appetite left, I'm absolutely stuffed." Hermione placed her hands over her bloated stomach.

"Want to share something? Blaise's desserts are to decadently die for.".

"You talked me into it." She smiled across the table at him.

Draco signaled Blaise and ordered the chef's recommendation.

"How did you enjoy the food?" Draco asked hoping it was okay.

"It was marvellous. I think it was one of the best dishes I have had in a while." She blushed. "Or _ever_. The sauce was so creamy!"

Blaise arrived with a chocolate cake; ice cream and two strawberries atop it. He set two dessert forks on the table and left the couple to enjoy.

The entrance was blocked by reporters, which meant they wouldn't be getting out that way any time soon. Walking to the kitchen, Draco popped his head in and signaled Blaise.

"The entrance is too crowded if you catch my meaning…. is there another way out?"

"Of course there is. Do you really think I would leave my exclusive guests without a way to avoid being hounded by the press? Come on," Blaise vacated the kitchen and took them down a hallway off to the side, opening a door to a vacant room.

"I had the Ministry set up an apparation point here so my guests could leave discreetly."

Hermione slipped into Draco's arms, her form easily fitting against him. She admitted to herself wanting to be close to him, and she hoped he wanted to hold her just as much. Saying their goodbyes to Blaise, they entered the tunnel again, the pressure releasing them into the alleyway near her parent's home.

Reluctantly, he released her, only to entwine their hands and walk side by side.

"I hope tonight was as good for you as it was for me."

"Despite the masses of the media, I had a lot of fun. I'd definitely be up for another _date_." She smiled genuinely at him.

Draco faced Hermione then, leaning down as his emotions took over. He brought their lips together, softly at first, innocently, then deepened into an enticing kiss, one she didn't want to pull away from. Hermione lingered, trying to keep their lips locked as Draco slowly stepped back, his smile brushing her lips.

"Thank you for giving me the chance to show you I've changed, Hermione." He leaned down again, placing a short kiss and waited until she had gone inside before turning and leaving.

Hoping that one day they wouldn't have to leave each other's side at the end of a date.

 **oooOooo**

Draco had always had the perspective of observing from the outside, and analyzed all details before jumping into anything. With Hermione, that had all flown out the window: he was impulsive and wasn't making decisive decisions with any of it.

When he had officially asked her out, it was one of those moments where you can crash or you can fly. He had gotten word he had passed all of his mastery exams for potions and discovered Weasley had finally let go of the fact t he was _not_ getting Hermione back.

She had said to him the first time they had gone to lunch together: _when one door opens another closes_ and he hadn't fully understood it until this moment.

The door with his potions mastery was closing and a door was opening to allow him to study his healer's degree. The door of Weasley in Hermione's life was closing and she was allowing the door that had been slightly ajar since he had come into the bookstore to open fully and allow him in.

They had talked about a variety of things on their date and he planned to keep allowing her to open up. To him, each inch of herself she gave him was another piece to her heart he gained, and that was the endgame of relationships after all: to have the other's heart.

It would take a while, he knew, to build a _rea_ l relationship together and there wasn't love involved yet, but he vowed to make room for it; another door to open.

Now that he had heard the saying, he wasn't going to let it seep out of his mind. Every situation involved himself in had change involved, and it would be seen as one door closing and another opening.

He couldn't wait to gain entry to his doors. To soar to heights unknown and make something of himself. He wouldn't let anything negative bring him down; now was his second chance.

First thing he would soar towards was his relationship with Hermione. To do that, he would need to truly show her he was ready to devote his time, his heart to her. He knew she enjoyed the cinema, the muggle means of entertainment, and promised her he would accompany her there for their next step to opening the door to their newfound relationship. Promptly, he found himself smiling as he greeted her at the door, only weeks after their first date that began it all. Pulling her close, he brushed his lips sweetly across hers, telling her how much she meant to him without having the need for words. The kiss said it all, and he was determined to prove his worth.


	11. Chapter 11 - You, Me, Ministry Decree

Prompt: Post War

Word Count: 3,384

Note: The following story is a submission to a Facebook group Platform 9 ¾. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of the identities.

Disclaimer: The authors of these stories did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

Title: You, Me, and a Ministry Decree

Rating: T

Genre: Romance

Fanfic and Facebook name: _-Undisclosed at this Time-_

Pairing: Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger

Summary: The Marriage Law has been enacted, and the six-month grace period is about to expire. Draco has a ring, his family's approval, but he can he get the girl?

* * *

 **You, Me, and a Ministry Decree**

He felt unusually skittish that Monday morning. Draco rose before his six o'clock alarm, did a couple of yoga stretches the way his best friend taught him, hopped inside the shower, and came down for breakfast looking every inch like he'd stepped out of a fashion magazine.

"Good morning, Mother," the dapper blond said as he entered the Manor's sun room where his parents prefer to have breakfast. After kissing his mother's cheek, he made his way to his usual seat across his father, who was reading the papers as usual. As if on cue, the Malfoy patriarch lowered the tabloid to look at him. Draco offered him a nod, "Father."

Lucius nodded in response to his son before turning his attention back to the Daily Prophet.

"Eat, son, before your food gets cold. Lovie cooked what you had requested," his doting mother said, gesturing to their loyal family House elf to start serving the young master his coffee.

Draco gave his mother a small smile before he turned his attention to his plate full of bangers and mash. He wasn't usually a big breakfast eater - he'd usually have toast and coffee on the go since he was a late riser on most days - but today was not just another day. Today was the day he would summon whatever courage he had been saving to finally let his best friend in on a little secret. He felt his heart race at the thought of having to confront the incredibly brilliant and equally stubborn Gryffindor about his feelings for her. If he had a choice, he would have wanted to court her first and let their relationship develop over time; but time was something he didn't have. At least not since _"Ministry Decree number 214",_ or the highly unpopular _"Marriage Law"_ , had finally been enacted and announced by the Minister of Magic five months ago.

 _The Marriage Law_ , he sighed as he toyed with his food. Since the Second Wizarding War ended three years ago, the Ministry had invested much in replenishing the Wizarding population in Britain. Sadly, most of the citizens were either past childbearing age, and those who were capable had no interest in settling down. With their number diminishing over the past two years, the Minister was left with no choice but to require the residents of the Wizarding community, aged 18 to 40, to marry and bear a child within the first two years of their union. To ensure this happens fast, the Minister set a six-month period in which eligible witches and wizards are free to marry their partner of choice. After the sixth month, those eligible citizens who have not married will be assigned a spouse by the Ministry itself. Citizens who don't comply will be _Obliviated_ and cast out of the Wizarding World.

Since Kingsley Shacklebolt's announcement, Draco had received at least fifty marriage proposals from women he either dated or slept with. During this time, he witnessed and thanked Merlin countless of times as Hermione rejected each of her suitors, including Viktor Krum. Draco sighed. If only it were that easy to ask.

"Draco!"

The sound of his mother's voice drew him out of his trance. The young President of Malfoy Enterprises blinked and found both his parents staring right at him.

"Are you alright, boy?" Lucius inquired, setting the newspaper aside. "We've been talking to you for quite a while, but you haven't been responding."

"I'm sorry, father. I was just a little distracted -"

"You haven't even touched your… what is that?" the Malfoy patriarch inquired, as he looked pointedly at his son's plate.

"This is called Bangers and Mash," Draco replied casually while he forked a piece of sausage and ate it.

"It's a Muggle dish, dear," Narcissa patted her husband's arm lovingly. "I suggest you start getting used to it."

The older Malfoy smirked at his wife's subtle hint. The Malfoys were among the few Voldemort supporters that deflected halfway through the Second Wizarding War. During their stay with Order members at Grimmauld Place, the older couple bore witness to the changing relationship between their son and the brightest witch of her age. While they refused to accept this at first, Narcissa had grown fond of the young witch, who seemed to be the only one capable of matching Draco's quick wit. Lucius followed suit when he realized how his son had matured because of the girl. Yes, they knew Draco was in love with her - and so did Harry, the Weasleys, Minister Shacklebolt and the other Order members. The only person seemingly unaware of this was the witch herself.

"Do you plan on proposing to her?"

Draco coughed, choking on the potatoes he'd just eaten. "Father?"

"Ms. Granger," Lucius clarified. "Are you planning on marrying her?"

Draco paled. While his parents weren't cold and distant, they also weren't the type to have heart-to-heart talks. He thought of shrugging it off, but his parents would have none of it.

"If she'll have me," he responded quietly.

"Well, why wouldn't she? We Malfoys are the best," Lucius boasted. "And we always get what we want."

Narcissa cocked an eyebrow at her husband. "Hmmm… I wouldn't say all the time," she teased and then turned to her son. "I think she's a wonderful girl. I also think it's time you kept this ring for when you're ready to ask. It's a Malfoy heirloom. Your father presented it to me when he proposed."

Draco felt a wave of relief wash over him, as he took the emerald engagement ring from his mother. He knew he'd won half the battle just by receiving their support.

"Well, you aren't going to win her over by sitting here and wishing," Lucius finally said. "Eat up and get moving. If I remember correctly you and Ms. Granger are due to visit Hogwarts for the Internship program we promised Headmistress McGonagall."

Draco nodded and finished his food. The old couple wished him good luck, and watched as he _Flooed_ out of the Manor.

"He isn't going to ask her," Lucius told his wife as soon as the green flames died down. "Did you see how he acted? He's a Malfoy through and through. We're not known for our bravery."

"But he's also a Black," Narcissa interjected while she sipped her tea. "He shares the same bloodline as Sirius, Regulus, and Nymphadora. They were quite courageous, you know."

Lucius puffed on his pipe. "Five thousand galleons says he comes home crying."

"Oh you of little faith," Narcissa said, rising from her seat. "But I'm calling it. After all, five thousand galleons is enough to cover the venue for a lovely Summer wedding."

oOoOo

"You're late! Hot date last night?"

Draco rolled his eyes. Trust Hermione to call him out for being last to arrive. For the past two years, she would always accuse him of sleeping around whenever he was late for any of their engagements. He used to find it amusing, but lately, that's changed. At least for him.

"Come on, Granger. We'll be late for our meeting," he shrugged, attempting to dismiss the topic.

"Ooh, we're touchy this morning," she said, trying to catch up with her tall companion. "Hey, wait up! You know I can't walk in these shoes!"

Draco stopped in his tracks. If there's one thing Hermione was bad at, it was walking in heels. She was more of a ballet flats or even sneakers kind of girl, so he was genuinely impressed whenever she tried to wear stilettos to meetings and formal events. Today, she wore the white shift dress he always said was perfect on her, and had her hair tied up in a chignon. She was breathtaking, but she had the grace of a two-year-old toddler learning to walk for the first time.

"Really, Granger, sometimes I feel like you just want me by your side," he teased the minute the svelte brunette finally caught up with him.

"Because you're hot property, right?" she retorted, taking the hand he offered. "These shoes are killing me."

"You bought them anyway," he sighed.

"Only because you said they were nice on my feet," she blurted out in resignation.

Draco felt his heart race. _Did he just hear her say she took his opinion to heart_ , he asked himself while he escorted her to the floo.

"Granger, my old Aunt Vega walks faster than you," he said. "Couldn't you Transfigure them into something more comfortable?"

"Your old Aunt Vega doesn't have to wear these killers," she replied. "And no. These are specifically designed to stay this way. Damn those Goblins."

Sighing, he took off his shoes, and placed them in front of her. "Here, take mine," he said.

"But…"

"No buts, Granger. We'll arrive at Hogwarts faster if you're able to walk properly," he shrugged, helping her keep steady as she took off her stilettos and slipped on his comfortable pair of Dragon hide shoes.

"Better?" he asked as she shrunk his shoes to her size. After seeing her nod, he winked. "Let's go. You know McGonagall hates it when people are late."

Hermione watched her best friend walk to the fireplace of his office in Malfoy Enterprises. It never ceased to amaze her how they both got along - he was her biggest bully in school, and she was his toughest rival in academics. She punched him in Third Year, while he hexed her in Fourth. Yes, they loathed each other with a passion.

But then the war happened. They say that war changes people, and the Gryffindor Princess could attest that it indeed does. The initial shock she had upon seeing the Pureblood family at Grimmauld was replaced with annoyance when they were partnered with each other on a mission. Her annoyance turned to awe when he shielded her from a curse thrown by Yaxley, risking his own life to save hers. They were inseparable after that - best friends, if you will. At least that's what she thought until she noticed how incredibly beautiful his silver-grey eyes were, and how he always smelled of mint, and aftershave. She was doomed.

"Take your sweet time, Granger. We're in no hurry at all," Draco drawled to her embarrassment. She had no idea how long she had been standing there, or how long he had been waiting. Face flushed, she walked hurriedly to the _Floo_ to join him. Shortly after, they were engulfed in green flames and were on their way to Hogwarts to close the deal on Hermione's proposed Student Internship Program.

oOoOo

Two hours, three cups of tea, and four pieces of mince pie later, the young pair found themselves walking listlessly along the empty hall outside the Headmistress's office. Draco allowed his unusually quiet companion to walk ahead of him. After they'd closed out the "deal", which allowed select students to join Malfoy Enterprises as Interns, Professor McGonagall asked them to stay and catch up a bit. He remembered they were having a good conversation with their former Professor about their respective careers and how their friends were doing, when the sassy old woman threw a curveball their way.

"And what about the two of you?" their former Transfiguration Professor asked, shifting her gaze from Draco to Hermione. "The six-month grace period to choose your life partners is almost over. I highly suggest you act now, unless the thrill of being married off to a mystery partner excites you."

Draco turned his attention back at the spirited Gryffindor, who made her way to the gardens leading up to the Great Lake. This was their go-to place in Eighth Year, when they needed a break from Head duties and their busy Academic schedule. He couldn't count the number of times they sat here to study, talk or just bask in silence.

Hermione came upon their favorite spot under the willow tree - _their_ willow tree. As she was getting ready to sit on the grass, Draco hurriedly took his handkerchief and _Transfigured_ it into a picnic blanket. She offered him a small smile before hopping on the fabric and settling down.

"Well, we wouldn't want to get your dress dirty," he teased, as he sat on the picnic blanket beside her. "What's gotten you all miffed?"

"Nothing," she mumbled, adjusting her position. Draco frowned at her in disbelief, and she sighed. "This whole Ministry law has become a royal pain."

The dashing blond smiled secretly. Since the Marriage Law had been announced, Hermione only spoke with him about it openly once. Draco thought back to the evening of Kingsley's Press Conference. Armed with Thai takeaway and a bottle of Chardonnay, he came over to Hermione's apartment to watch the Minister take the podium and drop the bomb on them. The night ended with Hermione downing the entire bottle while ranting on her couch about how stupid the law was, and how she would probably end up being _Obliviated_ because no one was going to want to marry a know-it-all.

That, of course, was not the case. A week after the dreadful announcement, he had lost count of the number of dinner invitations that consequently led to marriage proposals she'd turned down. _"He's quite boring"_ , _"He's got this weird habit I find annoying",_ and _"We have no chemistry"_ were among her widely used excuses. While he was thankful she'd said no to those wizards, he was rather anxious he might be a _No_ for him too.

"Earth to Malfoy," she waved a hand a few inches away from his face, stirring him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry," he blushed. "You were saying?"

Hermione pouted. She had been talking for at least ten minutes, only to find that Draco had completely blanked out. "I was saying a lot of things earlier," she said in mock annoyance. "But the last thing I asked was if you've finally thought about who you're marrying."

"Of course, Granger," he scoffed. "What do you take me for?"

"Oh," was all she could say, as she turned her gaze back at the lake and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear to hide her disappointment. Since the announcement, she had hoped that Draco would consider asking her. Although they weren't involved romantically, she always felt they had something going for them, if they only gave it a try. "I suppose it's one of those women who have sent you their proposal and portfolio?"

"Nah, she's different," he sighed dreamily, as he laid on the picnic blanket and placed both hands behind his head. "She's just… not like the rest."

"I appreciate you breaking it down for me so I could better understand what different means," she glanced at him, and wrinkled her nose. "So who is she?"

Draco raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes or no questions only, Granger."

"You're annoying," the feisty Gryffindor said, rolling her eyes at him. If there's anyone who dared push her, it was this man lying beside her. Draco knew how incredibly impatient she was, yet it didn't stop him from stalling information. She huffed. "Alright. Do I know her?"

"Yes," he smiled with his eyes closed.

"Have I met her?"

"Yes"

"Does she work at -"

"Oh come on, Granger," he groaned. "Surely you must have other questions in mind."

"I do," she said impatiently. "But they're not answerable by yes or no."

"Tough luck then," he smirked.

"Have you slept with her?" she asked quietly.

He sighed, thinking back at the nights they had to share a room in the Order headquarters, or when they were on the run. He smirked. "Yes. Lots of times."

"Oh," was again her only response.

"She snores," he offered.

"Eew!" she giggled. "What a turn off!"

"Not really," he said as he sat up and stretched. "She does this really soft kind of snore when she's tired."

"I'll bet," Hermione said, keeping her eyes on the lake and praying to Merlin her tears won't betray her. She hated herself for asking.

"Do you have any more questions, Granger?"

"Yes. Just one more," she responded, biting her lower lip to keep it from quivering. "Do you love her?"

Draco felt his heart pound in his chest, and his hands suddenly felt clammy. _This was it_ , he thought. _He was going for the kill. After all, what else has he got to lose?_

"Granger," he said, inching his way closer to where she sat. "Please don't hate me."

She looked at him and frowned. "Huh?"

Taking her left hand in his, he fished out his mother's emerald engagement ring and placed it on her hand. Draco felt her shiver when the cool metal touched her warm palm.

"That's the Malfoy engagement ring. It's been handed down from one generation to the next. Mother finally passed it on to me this morning," he said matter-of-factly. "Now before you say anything, please hear me out."

Hermione turned to face the debonair Pureblood, her eyes glossy with tears.

He took her hand and kissed it before clearing his throat. "Here's my heart, Granger. You have it in your hand, and I promise that you're the first and the last to ever touch it. You need to be careful with it because it's more fragile than I thought. If you try and give it back, well, I'm not taking it," he laughed nervously, and wiped the tears that were now streaming the lovely Gryffindor's face. "I don't know enough about love to know for sure that this is or what it is between us, but what I do know is that for me, it's you and only you from here on out. I can only promise not to push you away. You know, life without you is doable, but if I had a choice, I'd want to live it with you by my side. I promise you that I'm not running from the work it takes to make that happen. Granger, I'm not scared of us now. What do you say? Will you marry me?"

"I don't remember sleeping with you," she sobbed. "Unless you took advantage of me when I was drunk in my apartment?"

He rolled his eyes. "We slept together lots of times in Grimmauld and on the run. Come on, Granger, you weren't specific."

"I don't snore either," she sobbed again.

"Of course you do," he said tenderly. "It's the most peaceful and comforting sound I've ever heard."

"I love you, you know," she said and he froze on the spot. "I love you because you question my every move, I love you because you annoy me, and I love you because you take your shoes off for me so I can use them. I didn't want to admit it before because I was afraid you don't feel the same way."

Draco felt like his chest was about to explode. He knew he was smiling like an idiot, but he couldn't care less. He wanted nothing more than to marry this spend the rest of his life with this woman at the soonest possible time, too.

"So Granger," he said, playing with the ring on her hand. "you haven't answered my question."

"Yes, Malfoy," Hermione laughed between her tears. "I will marry you."

oOoOo

Epilogue:

"Cissy went all out," Hermione said, as she swayed with her husband on the dance floor. "I've always wanted to marry in a castle, and she did an amazing job."

"Of course she'll go all out. You're a Malfoy now, and Malfoys-"

"Deserve the best," she completed for him. "I'm so glad we made the deadline."

"We haven't yet, love. There's still that baby project we need to work on," he teased, making her blush. "For now though, it's you, me and this Ministry Decree."

"Thank Merlin for that!" she laughed, as she pulled her husband in for a kiss.

THE END.


End file.
